Love Is Blind
by o0CrimsonsDragon0o
Summary: Kakashi stumbles across a friend from his youth- one he tried very hard to forget. With her return, old feelings emerge as well. Can he get through the past to see the now? Rated T for ninja fighting and a small scene in chapter 8. Kakashi x OC
1. Chapter 1

For those that read my Lupin story- not to worry, I'm still working on that one. I'm just going to go back and forth. I actually wrote this story forever ago and am just cleaning it up to get a small break inbetween Lupin chapters. So, enjoy!

I rinsed the blood and mess from my hands then pushed away the sweat soaked bangs from my face. Dark plum hair that normally freely fell to my waist was tied up in a messy bun as so not to get in the way. A friend in the village needed a mid-wife and I was the only one around that could help. The village healer had died a few years ago and was stupid enough not to leave an apprentice. As I was the only one with a little medical knowledge, I became somewhat of a healer, learning what else I needed as I went along.

"Are you ready to go back to your house now, Shizuru? Or will you stay and eat with us...even if it is well past dinner?" a boy said from behind me. From the sound of his voice, it was Jorin, the now 9-year-old big brother of the newly delivered baby. I wiped my hands on a cloth and turned to smile at Jorin.

"I think I should go home," I told him.

"Alright," he said and took my hand so he could lead me home. After the first year, I insisted I knew the layout of the land but the villagers figured it was my streak of pride talking. True, it would take longer, but I could always figure out my way home.

"Tree root," Jorin warned me. I liked my privacy and Jorin was the best at walking to and from town. He always did so well, even if he never worked with a blind person before. He smiled a lot, always happy, people said. He told me he had light brown hair and matching eyes and a few freckles that speckled his cheeks. From what I could feel, his face was slender and soft with a button nose and a wide set mouth. 15 minutes later of walking and him chattering about the new baby, he said, "Here we are." Jorin placed my hand on the doorframe of house. I smiled and gently pushed his back.

"You know where the sweets are. Go ahead." He laughed gleefully and ran inside. I went inside and started to brush my hair out. A few minutes later, Jorin tapped the leaf village head plate I wore on my left thigh. Knowing his signal, I leaned my head down so he could give my cheek a sticky kiss before he left.

"I'll see you later!" he called as he ran out the door. I shook my head and finished combing my hair then went outside. The dark green over-suit I wore over my navy blue shirt and pants rustled as I walked through the small grove behind my cottage. Honestly, the place was a bit big for me, but it was the old healer's before he died. My special rock I used for meditation was there, as it always was. Nothing in the grove ever moved; it never had surprises. I sat on the rock tailor style and closed my near useless eyes. Secretly, I defined them as 'near useless' because of my ninja training and kekkai genki. If I focused my chakra to my eyes, I could see the life force of the things around me. It was like seeing in black and white and only outlines, but it was better than not seeing at all. Now, seeing while meditating wasn't exactly a jutsu, just chakra manipulation. I breathed in slowly, counting to 6, held it for 6 counts, and let it out counting to 6. Feeling my mind calm, I opened my eyes half way. I could see the white outlines of the trees around me and smiled slightly. The chakra flowed through my body, allowing me to see without using it. Using chakra for the eyes was difficult and very exhausting, as it required so much of it and in such a concentrated state.

Footsteps broke my quiet meditation. The sound came from South, the opposite direction of the village. Deftly slipping a kunai knife into my hand, I ran up a tree to hide and wait to see if the person was friendly or intended harm. The soft footsteps got louder and there was more than one person. I could actually feel their chakra before I 'saw' them. The amount was ridiculous! It took a moment to distinguish that there were four of them, shinobi warriors by the feel of it. Then one moved away and seemingly vanished.

He appeared behind me and said harshly, "That wasn't a good idea." And he kicked me. Mentally berating myself for falling for a genin mistake, I swiveled my body around and landed on my feet, jumping away in time not to be hit again by the ninja that had followed me down. I didn't skimp on my chakra this time though and focused it into my eyes, actually using the refined jutsu this time. The ninja was advancing on me, so I let him, dodging a few well-thrown kicks and punches. _He's only fairly advanced. A genin, perhaps? Maybe chunin._ I took one of his arms and pulled it, sending him airborne and kicked him hard in the stomach. He went down hard and clutched his middle. A girl shrieked.

"Sasuke!" The girl was supporting the fourth shinobi. Another of the hostile ninjas ran toward me. He was taller than the others and faster. I reacted before he even reached the first ninja and kicked him hard. He didn't try to defend himself. From his body position and open mouth, he was staring at me. I lunged at him with my kunai knife and he quickly blocked it. Still, he didn't attack, only defended. This puzzled and unnerved me. It took a good few minutes, but I finally got him on the floor with a tornado kick followed by a floor sweep. I sat on his chest, breathing heavily from the energy used to support my eyes, and held the knife at his throat.

"Don't move, or he dies!" I shouted at his team. The first ninja was standing again and he opened his hand, supposedly letting his weapon fall.

"Kakashi-sensei!" the girl shouted, distressed.

"Kakashi?" I repeated and looked with colorless eyes at the man underneath me.

"Hello, Shizuru," he said breathlessly, though it could have been because I was sitting on him.

Kakashi's POV

Shizuru stood up and helped Kakashi to stand, strong for her petite 5'4". He knew she'd be here, but actually seeing her, alive and breathing, was something different. Trying to shake off the feeling, he rubbed his neck where she had pressed her knife and went to check on Sasuke. He was just fine, though his pride was damaged a bit.

"We need your help," the sensei said. "It's good to know you're where you said you would be." Exhausted, Shizuru sat down and rubbed her eyes. Kakashi looked down at her, the deadening feeling he got around her creeping through his body. "I didn't realize we had already made it to the village. My student noticed you in the tree and thought we had another assassin on our hands, so I let him go ahead." Shizuru looked in Sasuke's direction.

"My apologies, Sasuke, was it?"

"You fight very well," was his only answer.

"Uh, Kakashi-sensei?" the jounin's only female student asked.

"Yes, Sakura?"

"Naruto is looking really bad..."

"Oh, right," he said in his pleasant voice, belying the turmoil he felt inside. He knew Shizuru, obviously. Back when the two were young shinobi, he was placed on her team. Due to an accident, she left the Village Hidden in the Leaves not long after she became a chunin. "Shizuru, you're still the best chakra manipulator I know. And you're the closest one here. Sakura," he beckoned. She came forward, half dragging Naruto. Sasuke took half the burden and helped his friend, to Sakura's great pleasure. Kakashi squatted in front of Shizuru. "This is Naruto Uzumaki. His chakra levels are going through the roof and his body can't handle it right now. It's eating away at him," he explained, though not meeting her gaze, blind or not. She nodded and offered a hand. Hesitantly, he pulled her up.

"My house is right there. Take him inside and lay him down," Shizuru instructed Kakashi's students as she looked in their direction. She did rather well for not being able to see. His students looked at him for confirmation so he jerked his head in the direction of the house. They complied.

"Is this the same Uzumaki that the nine-tailed fox was sealed in?" she asked when they were gone. The jounin nodded gravely, and then remembered that she couldn't see it.

"Yeah. It's gotten more restless. We recently had an encounter with Zabuza Momochi and when Sasuke got in trouble, Naruto went feral. He calmed down easy enough, but it still worried me," Kakashi told her, still not meeting her empty gaze. The dead feeling was all over his body now, so he shifted his weight from foot to foot.

"Don't worry. I'll take care of it," Shizuru told him happily, though her smile didn't quite meet her eyes... her gray, empty eyes. Ashamed, he turned away. Oblivious, Shizuru confidently walked back to her house, Kakashi a few steps behind.

Shizuru's POV

The genin had placed their friend on the sick mat in the back room. Kakashi followed me inside and sat across from me. Sakura sat next to him and Sasuke leaned against the wall behind me. Naruto's energy was seeping from him. I felt like he was going to drown me with it.

"Oh, my..." I murmured.

Kakashi asked, "Are you sure you can do it?"

"Of course I can!" I snapped. I spread my hands over Naruto, breathing like I would to meditate. I placed two of my fingers on the boy's inner-elbow and held his arm down with my other hand. The energy all around me looked for someone to use it. Only needing the smallest fraction of the amount around me, I allowed some to enter my skin for later use. Usually, this was almost unheard of, but this was me and the nine-tailed fox. _Special things will happen to this boy..._ I pressed my fingers into the first pressure point, forcing some of his chakra back into his body. He needed a dam, not a pure blockage, as he still needed to use jutsus. His chakra was almost tangible to me, so I bodily reached out and pulled it back to his body and near closed it off, one pressure point at a time. Come to think of it, most chakra was tangible to me. 15 minutes later, I was almost done. Normally, this would have been extremely hard, but I used his chakra for the energy, not my own. And I also made his chakra dams using his own chakra so that over time, it would come out naturally and allow his body time to adjust to it or until he learned to call on it himself. The mass of his chakra still posed a problem, so I wound it up like a thread on a spool and let the little bit I took inside myself mask the spool. Because it was tinted with my own chakra, it wouldn't merge with what was inside him and acted like a dam itself. At least for a little while. I sat back and closed my eyes, even more tired than before. I didn't expel much of my own chakra, but it was still exhausting. Sakura sighed loudly, relieved.

"Thank you. From him and me. It was so hard to breathe like that."

"Sakura has a talent for recognizing and using chakra. It sometimes gets the better of her," Kakashi explained.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to see you," I told the girl kindly, not having really looked at them when the seeing jutsu was up. She said nothing.

"Go to her," Kakashi murmured. Sakura walked over to me and sat, still quiet. I gently ran my fingers over her face, memorizing her wide eyes, dainty nose, large forehead, and stubborn chin.

"Colors?" I inquired.

"Green-blue eyes, pink hair, and kind of pale skin," she murmured.

"I won't bite," I told her with a smile as my fingers traced her slim shoulders.

"You're very pretty," I told her. She looked away and muttered a thank you. From the positioning of her body, I felt that she had looked at Sasuke first then away from me. _How cute. Now where have I seen this complication before?_

"Sasuke?" I beckoned. It took a few minutes, but he complied.

I performed the same method and he answered, "Black hair, black brown eyes, and skin a shade darker than Sakura's."

"A real looker, now, aren't you?" I had already memorized Naruto's features so I 'looked' at Kakashi.

"I haven't changed," he said shortly. "I just got taller." I shrugged and stood then went into the other room to hide my disappointment. I fixed some drinks for my guests and brought them to the ninjas.

"Naruto won't be fit for travel for about a week. I don't want him to get out of bed and I won't ask you to leave him. You're welcome to stay here until then," I told them.

"Thank you. I'm grateful," Kakashi told me. I smiled, my heart in it this time.

"Alright. Naruto will have to stay in the sick room. If you don't mind sharing Kakashi, you and Sasuke will take the room at the end of the hall and Sakura can have the room on its left."

"That's fine," Kakashi said. I heard him get up and he patted my shoulder.

"It's nice seeing you again," he murmured. Butterflies fluttered through my stomach at his touch. I smiled up at him.

"Same here." I had missed him so much. Used to be that I had more than enough of him on the road during missions. I told them all goodnight and went back outside, reliving memories from my ninja days. I missed them. I missed the danger, the missions, the team...

"Shizuru-sensei!" a familiar voice screamed.

"Uh-oh." I ran inside and pushed my chakra into my eyes. They were starting to hurt from the over-use. Four people were in the front room, one holding another on the floor and the other two in a ready stance in case the supposed intruder decided to fight. I sighed, relieved it wasn't something bad.

"It's okay, Kakashi. That's my apprentice, Yohmei. You can get your foot off his back, now," I explained, releasing the jutsu again. Kakashi let him up.

"Sorry about that. We thought you were breaking in." Sasuke lost interest and went back to his room, Sakura following his example.

"Shizuru-sensei?" Yohmei asked, feelings more hurt than anything else.

"Sorry, Yohmei. I thought you'd be home tomorrow morning at earliest. This is Kakashi. He is the other three ninja's teacher. One had some problems so I helped out."

"So...they're not here to kill us..."

"No."

"Well, now that that's cleared up, I'm going to bed," Kakashi announced and headed for the room I told him to sleep in.

"Um, why is he going into your room? You're not...not that it's my business...but are you?" he asked. I sighed, remembering how good looking Kakashi was when we were younger.

"I wish," I muttered.

"Huh?"

"No, we're not. It's bigger, so I gave it to the boys." Tough only 19, the man was the only person with an aptitude for medicine in the small village. True, he could be a bit over protective, but he was nice in his own jealous way. Jorin told me that Yohmei was white-blond and had brown eyes. My fingers told of a straight nose and high cheekbones. He put the things away before going to bed himself.

Kakashi's POV

Kakashi sat on Shizuru's bed, staring a hole in the wall. Sasuke slept on his left. He couldn't sleep. It wasn't even a year after he got paired with Shizuru and Naru because of the loss of his original team that they got in over their heads. Kakashi was the leading jounin and the other two were chunin, all cocky as hell. The three requested a B or A rank mission. But they failed. Miserably. And it cost Kakashi everything. It cost him Shizuru. She had so much potential. He had been made a jounin before they were even close to 15 and Shizuru had just as much talent. She could have taken the test, but refused to just so she could have the chance to work near Kakashi. And this is what came of it. Sighing, he slipped out of the room and went outside to breathe. It had been so hard all these years. Shizuru dropped out after that last assignment and Kakashi went on ahead without her. _Everything was my fault_.

"Kakashi? Why aren't you asleep?" Shizuru asked him from up ahead. She didn't even turn. Not that it mattered.

"How did you know it was me?"

"I know you. I take it you still haven't given up those dirty books you carry around, either, pervert." For once, he was glad she couldn't see, but the darkness and his mask would have hid his blush anyway.

"Who you calling a pervert, ya little runt?" he told her, true to the banter script from when they were younger. She stamped her foot angrily at him.

"Shizuru, I-"

"Don't you dare say it Kakashi Hatake," she warned. She knew. He smiled sadly.

"I was just going to say you've grown up quite nicely." Kakashi could just make out Shizuru's deep blush as she muttered her thanks. He laughed aloud. She had never been one for compliments.

"Isn't it pretty out here?" she asked. He looked around. The grove was nice, but he didn't know she could tell. As far as he knew, Shizuru had never visited this part of the Land of Waves before...just before.

"Erm, it's pretty."

"Yeah. Well, I'm calling it. Night," she said and went inside without another word.

Shizuru's POV

I woke the next day and checked how Naruto was doing. He hadn't rejected the treatment overnight; I knew because I slept in the same room to make sure he was OK. The boy still slept soundly. Slipping quietly from the room, I marveled at how the boy had lasted this long with the 9-tailed fox inside him. I started work on breakfast, becoming slightly depressed when I realized I was making food for more than 2. Not that I really minded- cooking was fun and years of practice made me pretty good even without my sight- it was just because Kakashi was there. Years ago, I wouldn't have minded. I had even fantasized about cooking him breakfast after a night of- I shook my head to get the image from my mind and the blush from my cheeks. Now the man was just depressing and sad around me, no matter how indifferent he acted. It's not like I didn't know why. Kakashi blamed himself for my blindness. Time and time again, I told him to think nothing of it, but he remained the same. Before it was a crush that wore itself out by the time I left but now... now he was just special. There weren't any other words that I felt could describe it.

"Here, let me cut that for you," he said, coming from the back room and taking the cutting knife from my hand.

"Thank you Kakashi, but I can do it myself," I told him. It was the little things like that that annoyed me. He treated me like an invalid child just because I couldn't see.

"Nonsense. I don't want you hurting yourself."

"I won't hurt myself."

"But there's always the chance-"

"Everything in our world is chance, Kakashi! You can't get rid of it or protect everyone from it. So deal. Now go get the kids up. Breakfast is almost done." He shoved the knife back in my hand. The harshness of the thrust told me how annoyed he was. A few moments later, Sakura and Sasuke trudged into the room.

"Naruto too?" the jounin asked placidly. He was putting up a front for his students so I obliged him.

"Yes, Naruto too. He should be starving."

First meal went smoothly. That is, until Naruto spoke up...

"Hey! Your eyes are colored funny. Why is that, Shizuru-san?" he asked brightly. He just seemed happy that he noticed a detail.

"Naruto! That is not something you bring up!" Sakura admonished him. I sighed. _Here we go again. _By now, I was used to it but it did tend to get old.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"Very untactful," Sasuke said.

"I don't get it. What's the big deal about colorless eyes? She's not a Hyuuga…"

"She's blind, Naruto," Kakashi told his student quietly.

"Oh! How'd that happen?" Naruto asked me excitedly.

"Naruto!" Sakura shouted at him.

"Shhh! You'll wake up Yohmei," I told them. "He needs his sleep- I've been running him ragged."

"If you don't mind my asking," Sakura said after a few silent minutes, "how did you get blind? Were you born that way?" I heard a sharp intake of breath- I assumed it was Kakashi.

"There was incident on a mission," I said shortly.

"Oooh! Really? That's one crazy battle scar!" Naruto exclaimed, awe evident in his voice. "Tell us how it happened!"

"...perhaps later..."

In the afternoon, Naruto passed out. I wasn't surprised. I only wanted him to eat and go back to bed but he insisted on his training with the others. He planned on being Hokage ("Believe it!"). When he said that the first time, I flinched. At the mention of his ambitions, a tremendous amount of energy flared from him. It was like the 9-tailed fox couldn't wait for the power. While Kakashi worked with the other two, I stayed with Naruto, making sure he didn't relapse in his sleep.

It was strange. It was like the amount of excess energy Naruto gave off seeped into me. I woke up the next few days feeling stronger, more powerful. But I paid it no never-mind. Only my ninja training kept me from screaming when I woke up the sixth morning. I could see. Eh, not very well, though. It was mostly dark, blurry shapes but that was more than pitch-blackness. Forcing myself to act normal, I went to the kitchen to find Kakashi and two of his students talking over what smelled like leftovers.

"-ly like her, don't you Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked.

"Always the romantic, eh Sakura?" he replied.

"Don't be ridiculous, Sakura," Sasuke told her. "Sensei already told us that everyone he loved was dead." I winced.

"That's not harsh whatsoever," I joked, making myself known. I could see Kakashi's tall, blurry shadow get up and go out the kitchen door. I stared. "I was just playing," I muttered and helped myself to the food.

"He's kinda different around you," Sakura observed. "Won't you tell us how you knew him?" I shrugged.

"I went to school with him. He knew lots of people."

"Then maybe the story of your 'great battle scar' as Naruto likes to call it?" I sighed and sat down.

"What time is it?" I asked.

"10 in the morning," Sasuke said.

"Get Naruto up. He needs to eat and he'll complain if we leave him out of the loop. Loudly too," I told them. Though both hesitated, Sakura finally went to get him.

"Naruto is so oblivious, he doesn't even know there _is_ a loop," Sasuke said, earning a laugh from me. Naruto came in and ate, already wide awake...and loud.

"I got blind because my team and I were way too overconfident. We set ourselves up for failure. One of my teammates died in front of me and the other was about to be put out of commission. By a solar flare jutsu I might add. If he lost his sight, all of us would be dead. I didn't think about that, oddly enough- just to protect him. I jumped to push him away and the light scalded my eyes instead. Lord Hokage thought it'd be best if I took some time to recover…but I never went back." They were all silent for a long time. Then-

"You didn't answer my other question. Why does Kakashi-sensei act so different around you?" Sakura asked. _He really hasn't told them anything_.

"Kakashi has always hated quitters. I disappointed him because I gave up. I told him I wouldn't give up, but I did."

"Do you regret it? Saving your teammate and falling from the ninja ranks?" Sasuke asked.

and that's chapter 1 everybody! hope you enjoyed it. please review. it would make me oh so happy if you did


	2. Chapter 2

Kakashi's POV

He was standing just outside the door, getting some air. Honestly, Kakashi wished Sasuke hadn't said that. _"Don't be ridiculous, Sakura. Sensei already told us that everyone he loved was dead."_ Shizuru was right. It WAS harsh. Her voice had been playfully sarcastic but he could see the hurt in her empty eyes.

"Do you regret it? Saving your teammate and falling from the ninja ranks?" Sasuke asked Shizuru. Kakashi's muscles tightened.

"Of course not. I'd regret it the rest of my life if I didn't. I saved his life, both of ours, really. That's all that matters to me," Shizuru replied, almost dreamily. He'd have preferred it if she regretted her actions. Now the shinobi felt even more guilty. But also angry. It was as if she was egging him on purposely. Kakashi strode back in the room, fighting the urge to hit her or something.

He walked up to her and whispered fiercely, "Stop it."

"Stop what? I'm just talking. That's all," she replied, her tone only slightly sharp.

"You wouldn't be so nice if you knew the whole story. If you knew what I did."

"I'm quivering with anticipation. Are you going to tell me or are you going to hint all day long?" The silver-haired ninja glared at her, though felt better now that she was taking a harsh (for her) tone. To the surprise of both, her grabbed her hand and dragged her outside. She didn't fight Kakashi but he could feel her tenseness. Though she was unsure of him, Shizuru still seemed to trust him not to lead her astray. And though he was upset, he couldn't help but notice the warmth of her hand in his own.

When they were far enough from the house and his students, he spun her around and said, "I hurt you. I took away everything from you."

"I already forgave you," she said, astounded.

"That's my point! Why aren't you the least bit upset?"

"Why should I be? It happened forever ago. I moved on. Why can't you?"

"I killed you!" he snapped at her, grabbing her shoulders. Something about her always tended to make him lose his cool and calm exterior that made the copy-ninja such a deadly opponent. "I...I killed you." Shizuru looked at her friend blankly then patted her body up and down and checked her pulse.

"Wait a minute- I think there's- yes! Yes, there's life! Come off it, Kakashi. What are you talking about?" _Still playful._ For some reason, Shizuru's mood not only made him madder, but it also made him admire her in a way.

"A person only lives if people remember her. If the memory of her dies, she dies. I killed the memory of you in the Leaf Village...I killed you..." Kakashi told her, feeling ashamed.

Shizuru's POV

I stared at Kakashi's blur. His hands had loosened on my shoulders and he hung his head.

"I made people forget about you and then I forced myself to forget about you. Until now, when it was convenient," Kakashi went on softly. _So this is what's killing him. This is why he's so odd around me now._ "You hate me now, don't you? I've been afraid to ask, but do you hate me?" he asked. I put my hand on his cheek.

"I swear, you've gotten dumber." His head jerked up. "Are you sorry?" I asked reasonably. He nodded, my hand still on his face. "Then you're forgiven. I'll just have to go back and reestablish my name. And you're going to help me." Kakashi didn't say anything for a moment. I supposed he was gaping.

"How- how can you not hate me? After everything..."

"Why do you want me to hate you so badly?"

"I don't. But I hate myself when I remember it..."

"That's stupid. I was right. You HAVE gotten dumber. It's done and over with. And if you remember, then you didn't kill my memory completely, rude as that was. As long as I've been gone, everyone would have forgotten, anyway. I live in the present- you should too."

"Are you sure?" he asked hesitantly. I smiled. His voice was going back to normal; he had this off his chest.

"Of course. As long as you're truly sorry, I'll pretty much always forgive you. I love ya, don't I?" I asked lightly. With a friendly pat on his shoulder, I left him in the grove and went back to the house. The whole way, I mentally berated myself. I told him I loved him. But it was in a light tone, so he might not take it literally if I was lucky. I didn't mean it, after all. Just, the last time I told him that I liked him, he brushed me away and avoided me for a while. If I'd be travelling back to the Village Hidden in the Leaves with him and if he was going to help me, the two of us would have to be on good terms.

Kakashi's POV

Shizuru walked away after patting him on the back. He couldn't believe how she was able to overlook such follies on his part. Thinking back, he couldn't remember a time he had done right by her. Focused on his missions, Kakashi ignored her when she said she really liked him because he didn't want her to get distracted, despite his own attraction; Kakashi led her to her blindness; he erased all records and memories of her in the Konoha because he couldn't bear to have a reminder of how he treated her...Even though she was a few months older than the jounin, he always acted superior. At the Academy, she stuck by his side, though it was mainly because the two were the youngest. And even though she became a chunin a few years after him and he became a jonin at 13, Shizuru refused to take the jonin test with him in hopes that she could work under him. Though she wouldn't admit it, Kakashi knew it was because deep down she knew that he wouldn't treat her as an equal. But after he lost his first team, some of his views changed- especially of teamwork. But even then, Kakashi screwed her over. Even after he put teammates over missions, the team suffered.

"I'll do right by you," he muttered "Somehow."

"What'd you say?" Kakashi turned to see Naruto standing behind him. The jonin stared.

"Go back to bed, Naruto. You're supposed to rest."

"But I feel fine!" he whined, forgetting about his question.

"I don't care. Go," Kakashi ordered him. Grumbling, he did as told. The jonin went back inside, wondering just how much Naruto had heard.

Shizuru's POV

Yohmei came back late that night- I was waiting for him.

"Shizuru-sensei, you didn't have to wait up."

"Nonsense. Did you get everything I needed you to?"

"Do you have to ask? Though I was wondering why you had me get a lot of extra supplies." I smiled fondly at my student.

"I thought you'd need them. After all, you won't have me around to tell you when to restock." He didn't say anything for a while. "You- you're...but why?"

"You're ready. And it's my time to go. Goodnight, Yohmei." He hesitated before nodding his head.

"Yes, ma'am."

I had planned to leave early that morning, but the kids dawdled and Kakashi didn't even show up 'till around noon.

"Late as always," I muttered to him, wondering where he could have been- when he was put on my team, he was tardy all the time because he spent all morning (and sometimes all night) at the stone engraved with the names of the ninja fallen in combat. Obito's name.

"I was in town. Here. I got you something for the road," he told me and gently pushed something in my hands.

"Perverted runt," he added in a whisper. It was a book. I opened it, feeling the pages. The characters were raised so I could feel them. I 'read' the title page: "Icha Icha Paradise #3," I murmured then kicked him. "I am not a runt, Kakashi!" I held the book close anyway.

The tall shinobi's blur shrugged and said, "It was the only book they had made like that. And I noticed the first two in your room last night." I smiled and thanked him.

"Come on, guys!" he yelled at his students. And we were off.

Sakura asked if I needed someone to hold my hand to lead me, but I politely declined. The ever so slightly improved vision coupled with the chakra outlines would make my journey easier, if not a little tiring.

"If we take to the trees here, we can cut about a day from the journey," Sasuke volunteered. A gloved hand touched my arm.

"Am I going to have to race you to prove I'm not an invalid?" I murmured to Kakashi sourly. "Rykugan," I said after putting my fingers together for the proper jutsu. I smirked at Kakashi. He didn't have time to copy my jutsu and he'd been wanting it for the longest time. One of my clan's signature techniques, the Rykugan rivaled the Hyuga's Byakugan. The Byakugan could only see a person's chakra and its flow throughout the human body as well as great distances at 180 degrees. My clan- the Kiuchi- passed down our technique. It was our kekkei genkai, I suppose. The Rykugan allowed us to see chakra not only in people, but the natural chakra in everything around us, too. Everything has its own life force- its own chakra- and we could not only see it, but manipulate it too. My clan learned to move and change chakra in others while the Hyuga's learned their gentle fist style. Evenly matched, I thought. The light from my last mission scarred my retinas, so by using the Rykugan, my chakra took over my eyes, connecting most of the nerves for however long I kept the jutsu up. I looked around for a moment taking in the area. Everything was in black and white, but it was detailed and it was there. Damn, I loved being a ninja.

"Maybe next time, Kakashi," I teased and jumped into the first tree. The four shinobi followed.

After 10 or 11 miles, Kakashi called for a short break.

"Unlike you, I don't run my students to the point of dropping- just to the ragged edge of." It was a small clearing in the forest with a brook nearby. I sat heavily on the ground, releasing my jutsu and letting my vision fade to the vague shadows. It was a good spot, but for some reason, I felt uneasy.

Kakashi's POV

Sakura went to soak her feat in the brook while Sasuke went to do a look-around. Naruto, eager to outdo Sasuke, also went off. Kakashi settled down with his book and noticed Shizuru had done the same. Her fingers trailed down the page, row after row as her head faced straight ahead (at him) and slightly tilted to the side. Kakashi alternated from reading his own book to watching her 'read.' Then his soldier sense tingled. _If there's something, Sasuke and Naruto will find it. If not, Shizuru and I can handle it._ The thought of her made him glance up again. Her head still tilted, a light blush mantled her cheeks. _How cute. She still gets a little embarrassed._

"Enjoying your dirty book?"Kakashi asked jokingly. Her face broke into a flashing smile and deeper blush. Then she threw a small rock at him. If it hadn't been for his ninja reflexes, the rock would've hit him in the face.

"That wasn't nice," he admonished her.

"I never claimed I was nice," she retorted. The jonin chuckled.

"Fair enough."

"That's what I thought," Shizuru said and turned toward the direction of the brook where Sakura was. "A surge of chakra- a jutsu, not only Sakura's," she murmured. The two jumped up and dashed for the kunoinchi- she wasn't there. "Rykugan," Shizuru murmured and looked around. Kakashi the first to spot them. Them, being two ninja holding onto Sakura, who's arms were each being held by a ninja on either side- she couldn't make a hand sign for a jutsu or get a weapon. They held her captive on a tree branch.

"Hands up and apart- where we can see them," one demanded, pressing his kunai against Sakura's throat. The two did as instructed.

Shizuru's POV

I had my hands up, but reached out with my chakra, thankful I had my Rykugan up. Naruto and Sasuke were near. With the gentlest twitch of my fingers, I found and latched onto them then tugged at their chakra. It didn't hurt them, but they could feel something physically pulling them toward me. They were on their way.

"What are you doing to my student?" Kakashi asked. The blade pressed into Sakura's neck, drawing a little blood.

"You're in no position to be asking questions," one of the ninja said. _Kakashi could've been up there in a flash, but he stayed put. Why? Did he know I sent for the others? Or is he using this experience as training for his students instead of letting him do all the work._

"Perhaps not, but she IS my student. And as her teacher, I want to know what you plan to do with her," Kakashi replied darkly. Then he was gone, suddenly behind the ninjas and his student. But at the same instant, the blade was through her neck. Then they vanished. _A genjutsu! But then where are they?_ Kakashi jumped down and stood back to back with me- he didn't know where they were either. They were good.

"That's what will happen if you try that again," a ninja said, appearing with his partner and Sakura on a different tree. She was unharmed. They felt real this time too. _It's for the better anyway. What if they work for someone else? If they wanted Sakura, they could've just taken her._

"We want the lady," the first one said.

"...He's talking about you," Kakashi told me, voice amused.

"How flattering," I said flatly. "Seriously, what would you want with someone like me? I mean, I snore. And I have dragon breath in the morning. And I'm old, so could you come down from there? It's hard to negotiate with a stiff neck." Kakashi snorted, despite the situation. To my surprise, the enemy ninja complied. My fingers flicked again to denote the urgency of the matter, but I must have flicked too hard because the two boys toppled from the bushes, as if I pulled them harshly by a rope tied around their waists.

"Good job," Kakashi murmured sarcastically.

"Heh heh, oops," I muttered sheepishly.

"No more games! I want you now, Kuichi."

"Oh, you're making me blush," I told him dryly, "but you could have bought me dinner first."

"I said no more games! You're killing her," the first ninja told us and started to really cut.

"Alright! Enough. Let her go," I said. They were too easily angered and reacted too quickly for Kakashi or me to snatch Sakura, fast as we were.

"Shizuru!" Kakashi said, exasperated. I shrugged. The second ninja put a hand firmly around my arm.

"You may call me Kosugi. My partner is Hameda. I hope you like us- it's a long trip back." Hameda half threw Sakura down.

"Back where?" I asked, trying to sound like I didn't care.

"You'll know soon enough." _Sooner than you think!_ Fast as lightning, I moved my fingers through the proper signs.

"Giutai," I said with a smirk. The world around me stopped for a moment, then faded. I felt myself fading- it was an odd sensation- one I never got used to- I tingled and felt misty, as if the breeze could blow through me, tearing me apart. I melted into Kosugi, becoming part of him. Taking over his consciousness was simple enough. This was an advanced version of the mind transfer jutsu. It allowed me to bodily enter another, taking complete control without leaving my body defenseless. Quickly, I shuffled through his mind, learning what I needed to. _An extra guy in the trees to the left- expected. I hope Kakashi knows he's there. Ah. Land of Waves ninja. Guess I wore out my welcome. Good thing I'm leaving._

"Where'd she go?" Hameda demanded.

"I-I don't know! She just vanished!" I said, though it seemed as if Kosugi said it. _I love this jutsu! Complete body control. All the senses are mine._ I looked up where the third man in 'my' team was hiding, but looked away quickly. Knowing Kakashi, he would realize it if he didn't already.

"Now!" I shouted and attacked Hameda. Taken by surprise, everyone hesitated. Except the guy in the trees. He threw a few shuriken at me but I blocked them using Hameda's stunned body as a shield. Kakashi took out that ninja as mine fell to the ground. I turned to find Kakashi's kunai knife at my throat.

"What are you playing at?" he asked slowly from arm's length away. I held up my hands in surrender, dropping my own blade.

"Come on, Kakashi. That's not very nice. Though you HAVE grown up quite pretty," I told him, gently easing the blade away from my neck. He pushed it back, slicing my index and middle fingers deeply.

"Ow. But seriously, pervert. Your hair has gotten a little darker. I like it." Kakashi put away his knife and sighed, to his students' surprise.

Kakashi's POV

He glared at the enemy ninja, or rather, Shizuru.

"That wasn't funny."

"Aw, did I have you worried about me? How sweet," she teased, though it was odd coming from a man.

"Just get out of that body," Kakashi told her.

"But I like it. I can see you. And YOU were worried about me." She was right. He _had_ been worried. Shizuru never ran from a fight once she got in one, which was ironic because she ran from almost everything in life. One time, Kakashi had to bodily drag her to ensure the safety of the mission (and the others) when she would have stayed to fight. He glanced back at his students. Naruto had been trying to comfort an upset and depressed Sakura while Sasuke was pouting over how useless he was but now they stared at the two older ninja.

"You're confusing them. Get out," Kakashi told her.

"But-" Sasuke was on her.

"He said to leave." She blinked at the young Uchiha then went back to looking at Kakashi, ignoring the young boy.

"But I _like_ seeing in color," she near whined. "Just for a little while?" He turned around to check on Sakura. It pained him too much to see that look in those eyes, even if they weren't really hers. She missed her sight- longed for it- and again, the jonin was causing her to give it up.

"There might be other enemy ninja and they can track one of their own easier than one of us." The genin simply kept staring.

"Oh. That would make sense, wouldn't it? -*sigh*- Oh, alright." A foggy image of Shizuru came out of the other ninja- like a ghost or something then...solidified, he supposed. The man left behind collapsed.

"Hm. If I stayed in much longer, I might've killed him. I need more practice..." Shizuru murmured to herself.

"Wha-wha-what the hell was that?" Naruto exclaimed. Shizuru looked around, eyebrows furrowed. _Perhaps she's getting oriented._ She stopped looking around and her shoulders slumped in defeat. _That's right. She's blind again. Good job, Hatake._ Shizuru smiled.

"You three alright? I didn't give ya a scare, did I?"

"What was that? They didn't teach us that jutsu in school," Sakura said.

"And they wouldn't. The Guitai is very advanced; not even most of ANBU can do it properly. I was one of the youngest to master it," the chunin said smugly. Kakashi looked at his students- Sakura and Naruto found it interesting at least and Sasuke was sulking again. _Megalomaniac._ He looked back at Shizuru, she was regarding her sliced fingers with an odd expression.

"How odd. I was able to see blurs. Now that's gone too. Oh, well. It was nice while it lasted," she muttered to herself and continued to look at her hand; the blood was starting to stream down her tapered fingers.

"Team 7, scout ahead. Communicate with each other. You have to work together if we're to get back home without further incident," Kakashi instructed. Once they left, he pulled out some small bandages and taped up her fingers. Things were different now. Kakashi was different now- his team meant everything to him and people were no longer considered distractions...she wouldn't be a distraction. After everything, Kakashi figured he owed it to her to look after her.

"Thanks," she murmured, blushing slightly for some reason. "We better get going."

-Thanks ShinobiStar for the review. And thanks everyone who favorited. Reviews make me happy and feel like posting so please, please, please! It works anonymously, too. -


	3. Chapter 3

Oh yeah- I keep forgetting bout this cause it's so obvious to me. But formalities must be met: Naruto does not belong to me- only Shizuru does. Blah blah, making no money, ect. You get the picture ^_~ moving on.

Everyone made it back to the Village without further incident. The next morning, Kakashi took me to the KIA stone. Silently promising Naru and Shota that I'd return with flowers, I left Kakashi to his silent thoughts of his friend, Obito.

"No time like the present. Time to get back in the game," I said and made my way to the Hokage's office slowly, feeling my way along and with the help of a new tapping stick and plenty of directions from friendly villagers.

"Check me out, Hokage! I'm back and ready for action!" I announced as I walked into his office. _Wow. I'm starting to get as loud as Naruto._ The Hokage blinked.

"And you are?" I did an anime fall as a young man ran in after me.

"Honorable Lord Hokage! I'm so sorry. She just barged in and-"

"That's alright, Iruka-sensei. Do you know her?"

"I'm still here, you know," I said acidly. Kakashi telling me that everyone had forgotten about me (his doing) was one thing. Them actually not having the foggiest- it started to get under my skin.

"No sir, I don't. I'm sorry, miss..."

"Shizuru of the Kiuchi clan, daughter of Yukimi and Elwi." Hokage stroked his beard.

"It's alright, Iruka-sensei. I'm fine." Iruka knew a dismissal when he heard one and left, albeit hesitantly.

"Now, miss Kuichi..." He didn't seem to know what to say or do. After all, as far as the Village was concerned, Yukimi and Elwi didn't have any kids. _How could the man that insisted I give up being a ninja, my very life, forget about me so thoroughly? Unless...unless Kakashi used his Sharingan on him. He can do almost anything with that eye._

"I was a ninja here. When I was 16- one year after the nine-tailed fox was sealed- I was permanently blinded in battle and you sent me away on a little...vacation to collect myself and get used to my disability. Then you told me it might be best for me if I gave up being a ninja. Does that ring a bell, perhaps?" I asked. My tone the entire time was calm and light, as if discussing something innocent like the weather or a village sport with a shopkeeper.

"I'm sorry, but no, it doesn't." I frowned ever so slightly.

"Usually the subconscious remembers things no matter what. I should just have to say a key word or phrase or something and the subconscious will link everything together for the conscious mind. If only I knew that trigger word…" I thought aloud. "Or maybe I could shove all your chakra around unitl the shock of it jogs your memory?" I half wondered, half threatened aloud. It was an empty threat I used on older people all the time, especially the Hokage. I could just barely feel the chakra bend around the old man as things shifted in his mind.

"Please, don't. One time was more than enough." It was your turn to blink in bewilderment.

"Well what to ya know," I muttered He shook his head.

"So what _are_ you doing back here?" I felt for the chair I knew was close by and turned it backward. Straddling it, I and faced him with a sweet smile.

"I want to be a jonin."

"I'm sorry, come again?"

"I want to be a jonin. Or a Tokujo. I'm not picky. If you want me to be a Tokujo first and then get the all-around training, I will. Maybe ANBU later on." I heard the Hokage resettle in his chair.

"Really? And what would you specialize in? A Tokubetsu jonin is a specialist in one field. Not to mention a jonin has to master at least 2 elemental styles." I smiled again and rested my chin on a hand.

"You know very well my specialty is chakra manipulation. I can do almost _anything_ with th-"

"So be a medical ninja." I waved a hand dismissively, ignoring the pain in my chest that came with the suggestion.

"Bor-ing! And as for elemental styles, I've got water and fire down pat." He regarded me silently for a moment, which is kind of annoying sometimes, since I can't see his facial expressions.

"Two opposites?" he finally asked.

"I was bored. We ARE the Land of Fire and water matches my personality better, don't you think?" He sighed.

"Very well. I'll give you your jonin exam. Best to get it over with sooner rather than later. Will tomorrow be acceptable? Good. Now let me explain to you what you will do..."

Kakashi's POV

Kakashi had just finished handing in his last report of the day and talking about Naruto's progress with Iruka, who was helping out that afternoon, when he asked, "By the way. Do you know that crazy lady who's with the Hokage now? She's got blank eyes, is rather short, and has long purple hair. She claims to be part of the Kiuchi clan, but there's no record of her." The jonin winced.

"Don't let her hear you calling her 'short.' She's touchy about it."

"So you do know her. I was beginning to think she wasn't right in the head, barging in the way she did." Kakahsi sighed.

"Sometimes I question her sanity too, but that's just the way she is. How long has she been in there?" he asked. His young friend thought for a moment.

"An hour or so. Why?" _That's an awfully long time for just saying 'I'm back.' I hope nothing's wrong._

"No reason, Iruka. I-" The door opened and Shizuru walked out, thrilled.

"Oh good, you're here. He wants to talk to you, Kishi-kun," she informed Kakashi with a sweet smile. Iruka snorted while the other four jonin in the room either looked bewildered (who would talk to the Copy Cat so informally?) or tried to hide smiles. He walked by, stoic as usual, and slapped the back of her head.

"Stay put, Runt," Kakashi told her and closed the doors behind him before she could retaliate.

"That was quick..." Hokage muttered to himself. "I won't keep you long. Just keep an eye on Shizuru. She wants to become a jonin. I told her I'd monitor her test personally. What do you think? You know her best," he said.

"I see nothing wrong with it. She's capable. And I'll watch her," the jonin said evenly. The Hokage chuckled.

"I'm sure you will. Of course, forgetting someone so thoroughly… never mind. Send her back in, will you? There's something I forgot."

Shizuru's POV

Kakashi came out of Hokage's office and told me to go in.

"Sir?" I asked uncertainly; I had been in there only moments ago. Perhaps he changed his mind?

"I was thinking that perhaps it would be for the better if you didn't go by your clan name. Start fresh, you know." _It unnerves him that he couldn't remember. It probably will others if they remember as well. A fresh start sounds nice, I suppose._

"What did you have in mind?" He thought for a moment.

"Imamura has a nice sound to it. And there are none other in the village so there would be no ties." I nodded.

"That's fine. Shizuru Imamura- jonin," I said in a narrator type voice. Hokage chuckled.

"Not yet, you're not. That's all. I'll have it fixed with your new paperwork, seeing as your old ones have mysteriously vanished. And your picture will be taken after your exam." I nodded and left. Kakashi was waiting for me.

"A jonin, huh? You don't waste time. Come on. You can stay at my place again. If you want to, that is." I smiled and looked away to hide my face.

"That'd be nice," I told the empty space to my left.

"I'm over here," he told me.

"I know." I offered an arm so he could lead me. Knowing I had used my Rykugan the whole day before and was tired, he took my arm and linked it with his. The sound of cloth rustling then paper moving told me that he had taken his book out.

"Pervert," I muttered to him.

"Runt," he replied easily. I kicked my leg back and to the side so it hit his butt.

"I don't have to walk you, you know."

"Then don't," I said and pulled away and forgetting to use my new walking stick. It had been so long since I used one, I kept forgetting about it.

"Four steps," he warned, just in time so I wouldn't trip down them. Sighing in defeat, I held out my arm again. He took the time to turn the page in his book then took my arm again.

I woke the next morning and slipped out of Kakashi's bed, tripping on the sleeping roll he used. In a rare case of gentlemanly behavior, he insisted on me having the bed, but only a fair game of janken would settle it- he won so he made the choice. I made the bed and put the sleeping roll away. Using as little chakra in my eyes as possible, I left. After, I left to buy some flowers. Once I paid the girl at the shop- Ino, if memory served- I took the lilies to the KIA stone. Kakashi was there, but neither of us spoke. _He still does this every morning? I don't see how he does it. This is only my second time in who knows how long to visit them and I almost can't take it. He and Obito were so close...I wonder what he thinks about when he's here. Oh no! I'm supposed be taking my exam._ Though leaving calmly and quietly, I sprinted the rest of the way through town until I rammed into someone hard, toppling the both of us to the ground.

"I'm sorry. I should have watched out," the young man said. His voice was glossy and warm and I liked it.

"No, it was my fault. I shouldn't have been running," I apologized as he helped me up.

"Oh. No, you shouldn't have," he said quietly. I sighed. He had noticed my eyes- he knew I was blind. "Oh, crap. My cards," he mumbled.

"Here, I'll help," I insisted and helped to pick them up. "This is an awful lot for a deck of playing cards," I commented.

"They aren't playing cards. They are my ninja info cards. I'm Kabuto, by the way."

"Oops. Sorry. Name's Shizuru. These are cool. Oh! Here's Sasuke's card. And Kurenai-sensei too. How nifty." Kabuto stopped moving.

"You...you can read them? But they're chakra encoded!"

"Well, I'm special. I've gotta go. Nice meeting you. Bye!" I said, handing him the last of the cards and went on my way, careful not to run into anyone else. It wasn't until I was just outside the Academy when I realized that Kabuto had deliberately stepped in front of me. _He wanted me to run into him. No doubt to get a chance to read me for info. I guess I just supplied him with at least the start of a new card- mine. Bravo, Kabuto. Very well played._ I couldn't help but like the young man more for his gumption. Then I realized that I just supplied an unknown ninja with vital information about myself and mentally kicked myself for it. _Of course they are chakra encoded- I can't read anything else. Idiot. Ah well. Time to step up. But hey, what will come will come…good thing he's on our side._

"So you want to try for jonin?" Hokage asked.

"Yep, yep. What now?" I asked happily. The old man sighed.

"Going from chunin to jonin is more of a promotion and the exam a formality. You have to demonstrate your mastery of two different elemental jutsus, as I told you yesterday. I think Anko will be a good opponent."

"Anko?" I repeated.

"Don't expect me to go easy on you, maggot," the wonderfully petite and drill sergeant harsh Anko told me.

"I wouldn't dream of it," I reassured her and worked my fingers in the proper jutsu.

"Rykugan!" I activated it just in time- Anko came at me furiously. It was all I could do just to block. High block, low block, jump, middle block, low block.

"You'll need more than that to be a jonin!" I looked around- she made 6 clones, all evenly distributed in chakra. I could tell which one was her though, which was a good thing. I didn't want to kill the hyper ninja, after all. I jumped back, fashioning my fingers in the proper manner.

"Water style- Ice impaling jutsu!" Purposely, I aimed it at the clones, pulling the water from their bodies outward, freezing it at the same time. Razor sharp icicles burst out of the bodies all over, impaling them from the inside, out. Anko gasped. _Perfect._

But then she grabbed my ankle using a metal chain.

"Fire style- Dragon fire jutsu!" she shouted. The fire travelled along the length of the chain. I slid my other leg around and across the chain.

"Water style- Water wall jutsu!" The wall had enough force to break the chain as well as protect me. _That's enough showing off my water style._ While the water receded, I prepared for my next attack. "Fire style- phoenix flower jutsu!" I shouted and for an extra surprise, his shuriken inside the multiple fireballs. Anko dodged all but one, receiving a shuriken in the thigh. I didn't hesitate; I launched myself at her, attacking in simple hand to hand. Anko almost got the better of me when she grabbed my wrists and did a twin snakes technique, but I managed to break away and went to punch her across the face. It was not even a glancing blow, but that was more than I needed. The blow was a distraction. Instead, I pulled a bit of her chakra to me and set it in my next attack- "Fire style- Fireball jutsu!" I exhaled the fireball from my mouth.

"Oh, please. That's a chunin level jutsu," Anko told me and dodged it. But it came around behind her.

"I improved it," you said happily. "It's marked with _your_ chakra. It'll follow you till it hits you." She ran, but the wound to her leg slowed her down. She fell. The fireball was almost on her-

"Enough, Shizuru. You pass," Hokage announced and cancelled my jutsu.

I helped Anko up and fixed up her leg using the mystical palm technique (commonly used by medical-nin).

"How did you do that? And those water jutsus? There's no water in here and you didn't breathe out the water to use. Even the 2 nd Hokage had to spit water from his mouth!" _She's as bad as Naruto. If that's possible._

"The human body is made up of 35 liters of water. I used that for my impaling jutsu. Then I used the water in the air, making it heavy enough with my chakra. If it were a bigger attack, I'd probably have to spit out water too," I told her brightly and sat down, suddenly very tired; I hadn't skimped on energy, wanting to pass as much as I did. My world went back to black but I felt loads better. Followed by feeling dumb for running off without my walking stick. Again.

"So why don't you wear blacked out glasses? It's kinda creepy, ya know?" Anko asked as she pulled me to my feet.

"I don't like glasses. And if an enemy thinks I'm less of a threat, then better for me." The two of us left to talk to the Hokage, me trailing my fingers along the walls casually to feel the way.

"Hello, ladies."

"Hey, Kakashi," Anko said. "What's up? Did you enjoy the match?"

"You were watching?" I asked, surprised.

"Of course," he replied mildly. "And yes, I did enjoy it. It was...informative." My jaw dropped.

"You pervy little sneak! You stole our techniques, didn't you?" I demanded. Anko actually growled.

"You don't have any room calling me 'little'," he informed me lazily. I tried to smack him but Anko held me back, telling me that I needed to get the paperwork done.

Kakashi's POV

He waited for Shizuru to come out. It didn't take long- she just had to make a few signatures and take a new photo as her new ID was only valid because the Hokage somehow remembered her. _And here I was thinking I repressed his memories quite well. I wonder what she did to reverse it._ Shizuru came out, still miffed, or at least, she was pretending to be. She could never cover the flicker of a smile that always lingered. Kakashi offered an arm but she kept walking on her own, trailing her fingers along the wall. It took a minute to realize she wasn't using her kekkei genkai but when he did, he linked arms with her himself.

"And says who I needed your help?" she asked, still pretending.

"I do," he replied and pulled out his book. "Listen, if it's any consolation, I didn't copy your precious Rykugan this time. I only got your versions of your exam attacks." She shrugged, smiling at people who said hello to the pretty 'stranger.'

"We agreed when you joined my team that if you could copy my attacks, you deserved to have them. Knowing HOW to do it and actually DOING it are two entirely different things. So I don't really mind." Kakashi winced. Using the Sharingan eye, he could copy an attack. Her attacks required WAY too much chakra refinement- talent only currently available to her and _perhaps_ a few others. And she knew it.

"I really hate you sometimes," the man muttered.

"Really? That's unfortunate. For you, anyway. I'm only nice to people who like me."

"You're nice to everyone," he said flatly.

"Cause everyone likes me."

"You don't know everyone."

"I take it for granted." He couldn't say anything to that, so he didn't. "Where are we?" she asked.

"Er, I thought we'd take the backroad. Not so much stuff, less people to run into." Shizuru wilted.

"You saw that, huh?" More surprising than not, she didn't question Kakashi about following her- which he probably would have done even if the Hokage hadn't asked him to.

"Perhaps," he told her. Kabuto seemed to be an unpromising genin, having failed the chunin exam 6 times. But something didn't settle right about him... he purposely stepped in front of her after all.

And a special thank you to ShinobiStar, dingdang303, and TheDeathBiscuit for your support! I really appreciate the reviews. Also, thank you everyone who added this story to their favorites- I'll do my best to make ya'll proud.

You can review anonymously, so please let me know what you think.


	4. Chapter 4

I spent the next few days memorizing the layout of Kakashi's apartment, ensuring I wouldn't fall over a chair or walk into the wrong room.

Gently feeling the unprotected face of my wristwatch, I found that it was already 10am. Though he was out late, staying at the KIA stone no doubt, Kakashi was expected to be with his students at 7.

"Kakashi Hatake, wake up you lazy pervert!" I yelled as I made my way back to the bedroom. He didn't stir. "Kishi-kun, move it!" Again, no movement. I nudged him with my foot a couple of times then knelt down to shove him, but he continued to sleep. "What the hell? Are you dead?" I asked him and placed my ear to his chest to hear a steady heartbeat. "Well, you're alive..." I murmured then an idea struck me. Loudly, I commented, "Oh my! Kakashi is asleep and won't wake up. He won't notice if I take his mask off!" I reached for his mask, waiting for his hand to shoot up and grab my wrist just in time, but it never came. Shrugging, I grabbed the elastic material from his nose and pulled it then let it go so it snapped against his nose sharply. That _did_ wake him up.

"Ow! What was that for?" he demanded, sitting up.

"You have to get up, bum. Your students have been waiting for you for three hours." He yawned.

"Is that all? That's ok. They're used to it," he told me and laid back down.

"They shouldn't be used to it in the first place. Up. Up, up, up." He pulled the blanket over his head.

"Is there breakfast?" he asked, sleepy voice muffled.

"Spoiled. What do you think I am, your mother or your housewife or something?" I asked, sounding annoyed, though just enjoying the fun and digging through his low chest of drawers for a fresh set of clothes for him to wear.

"No. You're too pretty to be a mother and I'd be screwing my wife or sleeping with her *yawn* not answering silly questions," he answered and put his pillow over his face.

"Charming," I remarked dryly, ignoring the compliment he gave me. Even when he was young, in the few minutes between being awake and asleep, he would talk without realizing what he was saying. Most people would try to get secrets from sleepers like my friend, but I didn't find any sport in that. I threw Kakashi's clothes on his half sleeping form.

"Get up now. If you don't-" He finally sat up, resigned to the fact that I wouldn't let him go back to bed.

"If I don't, you'll what?" he asked with another yawn.

"I'll tell this Iruka-sensei that I've heard so much about from Naruto that you were talking about him in your sleep. 'Oh, Iruka. Why are you so coy? Don't be that way, baby,'" I threatened with an evil smile.

"I hate you," he replied and I heard him getting up.

"Shame for you. Breakfast is on the table," I told him and left, remembering my stick for once. Blind or not, I could still leave him to his privacy.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/

"You again, miss? You're doing a lot of business here. How are you doing?" The woman behind the counter at the flower shop said.

"I'm fine. How are you?" I replied pleasantly.

"Just fine. The usual?" she asked.

"Actually, I think I'd like columbine- purple if you have it."

"Sure thing." After paying for the flowers, I made my way to the KIA stone and paid my respects to my friends. I stood there, feeling the names of my fallen teammates gently with my fingers.

"How ya doin' guys? I miss you. Look. I brought your favorite flowers this time, Shota. Aren't these nice? I wouldn't really know, but they smell pretty." I laid the flowers at the base of the stone, wiped my tearing eyes, and walked to the Hokage's, wanting to complain about my boredom.

"I'm sorry, what do you want me to say? There are no jobs. Everything is taken care of at the moment. You're just going to have to stay bored." I groaned loudly, acting like a child deprived of a sweet. My collapsible walking stick was in my sash, out of sight and out of the way. I thought that I was being denied missions because I was blind, but he said it was because they had all been claimed. He wouldn't lie to me. A knock came at the door and the Hokage bid him to enter, making me feel all the more dejected.

Iruka's POV

When Iruka was admitted inside, he opened the door, unsure if he was interrupting anything. The girl from earlier was standing in front of the large desk. Though already of small stature, she seemed smaller because she was pouting, clearly unhappy.

"Here's the paperwork you asked for. And I need to get back to my students. Mizuki left me short-handed," Iruka told the Hokage with a small frown, remembering his fellow teacher's treachery as he handed it to the man. Hokage nodded at the teacher and turned back to the lady.

"If you're bored enough to bother me Shizuru, go help Iruka-sensei at the Academy." _That was her name! Now I remember. Didn't she come back with Kakashi? I was sure she'd stay close to the people she knew, seeing how new she is._ Shizuru saluted him with a huge grin, clearly glad to be of use.

"Great! Who's Iruka?"

"That'd be me," the chunin told her with a welcoming smile and offered his hand. She turned to him with an equally warm smile and held out a hand of her own, seeming not to notice the already offered hand. Though slightly confused, he lowered his hand a few inches to clasp hers.

"Nice to meet you," she said sweetly, though the corner of her mouth held a tucked away smile. For some reason just looking at her lips made his skin tingle. Unsure of the feeling, Iruka let go of her hand, though regretting the loss of sudden warmth when he did.

"Well, you have your little job, so get out," Hokage told the new girl and waved a dismissive hand at the both of them. Shizuru hesitated, as if thinking about something, then followed Iruka out of the room, though at a cautious distance. He chuckled.

"I'm not going to bite, you know. Come on. We need to get to the Academy. Those kids won't behave for long." She nodded and gently touched her hand on his arm.

"Lead on, Iruka-sensei," she told him brightly. Even though it was a slight touch, it still sent warm ripples across his skin and he found himself blushing. _What's the matter with me? It's not like I haven't seen a girl before,_ he berated himself.

The two spoke of trivial things and of what she was to be doing- keeping an eye on the class- when he gathered the courage to ask her, "So you said you were part of the Kuichi clan...?" Shizuru was silent for a moment, her eyes closed and head down slightly, as if considering her answer. Instinctively, Iruka drew her arm from on his and fashioned it to where they were linked together. She seemed startled but smiled.

"Names are just things people are given. Like I was given the surname Imamura not too long ago. Names don't change who you are, so it doesn't matter."

"That wasn't a real answer," the teacher told her in a flat tone, though his open face told her that he wasn't really upset or anything. Still, she didn't look at him. "You know, it's kind of unnerving when the person you're talking to won't so much as glance at you," he commented brightly, still keeping his relatively fast stroll at the same speed.

"Well, it wouldn't do much good, will it? So deal," Shizuru told him. Though it wasn't in a mean way, she did sound a little annoyed. However, she kept looking around, her head slightly tilted in a cute way.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Iruka asked, confused. She turned her face to him, giving Iruka her full attention.

"For a ninja, you're not very observant," she commented with a motherly expression, as if she was explaining something to a young child. "I'm blind. People say it's worse when I try to look at them and its past them, so I don't bother anymore." The young teacher stopped walking, embarrassed beyond belief. Shizuru jerked, not expecting the lurch. "What's wrong?" she asked, confused. Part of him couldn't help but realize how cute she looked when she was confused.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean anything. I didn't realize...I...sorry..." he trailed off, feeling horrible. _Of course she wouldn't want me to talk about such a painful subject. She thought I would notice on my own but then she had to spell it out for me herself!_

"What is it with you Konoha men thinking that just because I'm blind, it's the end of my world? The Land of Waves didn't seem to mind." Shizuru asked, sounding annoyed again. When Iruka didn't say anything, she continued, though in her lighter tones, "I'd be a pretty sad ninja if I relied solely on my eyes, wouldn't I?" she commented with a smile.

"Er, I'm still sorry," he murmured and continued walking, Shizuru still attached to his arm.

"No need, really. And I wasn't really upset, so save your apologies or I might start to think you hand them out as casual as greetings." _Interesting. She's so open about everything. It's as if she wants to be an open book. That's dangerous in the ninja world, but she doesn't seem to mind in the least._

Shizuru's POV

I groaned as I sat slumped in Iruka's chair in his classroom.

"Harder than you thought, huh?" the man teased, finding amusement in my pain.

"Where do they get that _energy_? I swear, I have new respect for teachers, especially you," I told him, meaning every word.

"Energy? You're the one that wore _them_ out," Iruka commented, sounding slightly flustered at the compliment.

"Augh, I'm too old for those youngins. That Konohamoru doesn't have an off button. I swear!" Iruka chuckled and I heard him move behind me.

"Yeah, but they're great. I love every one of them," he told me and set his hands gently on my shoulders and started massaging. For some reason, I blushed a little, but I managed to keep my voice steady.

"I agree, and I like them a lot too, but I can't see myself doing what you do every day," I told him honestly. He laughed again.

"Some people were just born to teach, I guess."

"There! That's it!" I moaned loudly as Iruka worked through a particularly hard knot in my back. Apparently embarrassed by my cry, he quickly asked what I liked to do.

"I like to be useful ~oohhh~ and I like to have fun. Nothing special like helping kids the way you do," I told him, a slight flirt to my voice.

"Iruka?"

"Hm?" I hesitated, wondering how to ask.

"Can I feel your face? I want to know what you look like," I told him quietly. My eyes were still overworked from the over-use I put them through, but I was curious about the young man's looks. If I had been born blind, feeling someone's face wouldn't have helped much. But because I could imagine what my fingers felt, I could satisfy myself.

"Sure," he told me brightly. After feeling to make sure there were no papers in my way, I sat on his desk and he stood in between my legs so I could reach best. With deft fingers, I gently traced them along the shape of his soft face and even back to feel that he had a ponytail.

"What color are your eyes?" I asked softly.

"Er, dark brown," he replied, just as quietly. I nodded.

"I can imagine that; you have deep set eyes with compassionate lines...your cheeks, they're slender and delicate...hmm, your mouth is soft too- yummy. I can understand how a voice like yours comes out of these. And quite the dashing scar, I see. If your nose has been broken, it was when you were young- it's a strict line. Shows that even though you're the loving teacher, you know when to be stern." Content with his face, I only traced his shoulder and torso lines with a flirty feel around hips to get an idea of what he looked like then used my hands to prop myself up as I leaned back on the desk. I ignored the fact that Iruka was blushing like mad when I had felt his face; it was quite warm.

"You can tell all that from feeling my face?" he asked. I nodded, pleased he was impressed.

"And what does my voice sound like?" he asked curiously and stepped back to a respectful distance.

"Hmmm...It sounds...cozy warm, comforting and strong but gentle enough to say safe too." He laughed.

"I'm glad to hear it." By the sound of the rustle of his clothes and the soft clap of skin against skin, I assumed he was rubbing the back of his neck, a sign that one of the students remarked on when the sensei was embarrassed.

"SHIZURU-SAN!" a very loud and very familiar voice called.

"I see you've met Naruto," Iruka commented, interest obvious in his voice.

"There you are, Shizuru-san! Come on! Come on!" Naruto said and grabbed my hand, urging me to follow. I laughed, finding the spirited boy amusing.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Kakashi-sensei said that cause we finished our work today, we can go swimming! Oh! Iruka-sensei, do you want to come too?" he asked, just then realizing that the man was there, despite it being his classroom.

"No, thank you. I've a lot of work to go through. Maybe some other time," he answered, sounding genuinely sorry about not being able to go.

"Er, maybe I should stay and keep Iruka-sensei company," I offered hastily.

"That's alright. Go and have fun. I'm relying on you to keep Naruto out of trouble," Iruka told me. I sighed and relented, allowing Naruto to drag me off.

Flashback: _"Come on, you two. Get in the water. That's an order," Touda-sensei told me and Kakashi, blue eyes crinkling in laughter from under his dark brown bangs. _

"_But my feet are in," I reasoned with a sly smile, reclining on the grass in shorts and my undershirt. _

"_Come on, Kakashi!" Naru insisted. _

"_That doesn't count, Zury," Touda-sensei told me as he shook his head and walked toward me. _

"_But sensei," I whined, looking at him imploringly; he knew what I was thinking. _

"_I said it was an order, Kakashi," our sensei told him as he pulled me in the water then put me on his shoulders. _

"_Yes! Chicken fight!" Naru exclaimed happily, his purple eyes wide with excitement. Kakashi sighed and stripped to his boxers then got in. After a quick round of janken to see who had to be on bottom, Kakashi got on Naru's shoulders. _

"_Ow. You're on my hair," he complained. _

"_That's what you get for keeping this red mop so long," Kakashi told him but moved it out of the way._

"_Ready? Go!" Touda-sensei announced from under me. I locked arms with Kakashi, trying to push him off my teammate's shoulders. His visible eye was such a dark blue it almost seemed as black as my own. _

"_Come on, you two. Fight. This is a balancing exercise," Touda-sensei told us with a laugh. He grunted as I slipped a little but hiked me back up and held my legs against him tighter. A few minutes later, Kakashi toppled into the water, pulling Naru down with him. _

"_YAY! We did it!" I exclaimed happily with a triumphant fist in the air. Our teacher laughed. _

"_That's my girl," he told me and patted my leg. The boys, having surfaced, glared. Naru stuck out his tongue. I replied in kind._ :End Flashback

"I got her!" Naruto exclaimed happily. Though I knew it was not the best thing to do, I pushed just enough chakra to my eyes so I could see the layout of the area and where everyone was. It was a large pond, perhaps a small lake, that had a small waterfall on the far end. The water was mostly deep, but shallow along the far right bank. There were trees all around, shielding the area and creating a pleasant cool shade on the very warm day. Sasuke was swimming on his lonesome whereas Sakura was watching as she played from a slight distance. Naruto quickly stripped to his trunks and jumped in, splashing Sakura. Kakashi was leaning against a tree in a relaxed position, probably reading his dirty little book. I let my vision fade back before I did any damage.

"Come on, Shizuru! Get in!" Sakura beckoned. I winced.

"That's alright, Sakura. I think I'll just put my feet in," I told her and did so. After a few minutes of protesting, they gave up, realizing I had no intention of getting in the water.

"Gr, well Kakashi-sensei needs to come swim!" Naruto insisted.

"Yeah," Sakura put in, "you said that if we were all able to perform that jutsu, then you would take us swimming and swim with us." I looked over at the lounging man, amusement written in every feature of my face.

"Did you really tell them that?" He shrugged.

"Perhaps." I stood and grabbed his hand to pull him up. "A ninja must stick by his word, ne?" He sighed dramatically, aloof as usual, and removed his vest, shoes, shirt, and pants. I could faintly hear Naruto grumble about Kakashi not removing his mask. Happy that Kakashi had to leave behind his distant manner and interact with his students in such an informal way, I didn't notice that he had grabbed the end of my sash. He tugged hard, pulling it off. I heard my collapsible stick fall to the ground as he quickly slipped off my over suit and kunai pouches. He picked me up bridal style.

"If I have to swim, so do you," he said lazily and dropped me in the water. I flailed, splashing about, unable to really keep my head above the water.

"Ka-*choke* -kashi *cough* I *splash splash choke splash* will kill *choke* you!" My head went under water and I couldn't bring it back up, no matter how hard I kicked my legs or flailed my arms. It didn't help that my pants and arm socks weighed me down. _I can't kill him if I'm dead! Live! Live!_ My head started spinning as my lungs screamed for air. This is why I didn't want to get in the water- I couldn't swim.

A pair of strong arms pulled me above the water, one reaching up to pound me on the back, helping me to cough up swallowed water. When I was able to breathe correctly, I turned to my would be killer/rescuer.

"Damn it, Kakashi! What the hell were you thinking? I can't swim! What are you trying to kill me for?" I demanded, hitting him repeatedly.

"Ow! Hey, stop that!" he protested, still trying to hold me out of the water. From the feel of it, he had taken me to shallower waters, but it still went up to just under his chest. As upset as I was at him, I clung, not wanting to go back underwater.

"Shizuru-san, are you alright?" Naruto asked. I could feel Sasuke and Sakura near as well.

"I'm alive," I replied dryly.

"Since when can't you swim?" Kakashi asked with vague curiosity, astonishment slipping through. I pouted, not wanting to reply. Kakashi loosened his grip on me, making me slip a little and bringing protests from myself and the students.

"I never could!" I exclaimed, scrambling to get a better vantage to hold him by. He complied, twisting me so my legs wrapped comfortably around his waist and my fairly large chest pressed against his firm one. I credited the heat in my face to anger, not desire.

"What do you mean you never could?" he asked. I kept my head down in a pout, embarrassed at being a ninja when children knew how to swim whereas it was my failing.

"I never could," I repeated, thinking that answered everything.

"But when we swam as kids, you were always there-"

"In the shallowest part of the water or on someone's shoulders," I threw in.

"And when it was all deep water..."

"I would say I didn't feel like swimming and just stick my feet in," I finished, smiling slightly at the memory. Naruto laughed outright.

"A grown up that can't swim! How funny!"

I glared at him, a little hurt, and fashioned my fingers in a jutsu around Kakashi's back and said, "Water Style: Water Missile Jutsu." I didn't put much power into it- it was more like a few buckets of water got dropped on him. He splashed me in retaliation.

"Naruto!" Sakura admonished him. Kakashi walked a few more steps and I held on for dear life, unsure of why my heart pounded like it was simply by feeling the man's muscles move under his skin. Once he stopped, I relaxed. True, I had a crush on him when I was younger, but nothing had felt like this...

"Well, I've had enough water fun," he commented and all out dropped me back in the water.

"Ah!" I splashed around, scared for my life.

"Stand up, Shizuru!" he called, voice bored. I stopped splashing and realized my feet could touch the ground; I stood, embarrassed.

"Oh," I muttered, then laughed a little at my own foolishness. I timidly walked to the edge, not wanting to fall in a deep spot, and lifted myself out to dry in the warm sun.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

A soft finger across my cheek teased my senses to consciousness. The tickle came again across my nose and I smiled faintly. Opening my eyes, I realized I had drifted off to sleep while sun-drying.

"It's dark now," Kakashi's voice commented. "The kids went home about half an hour ago." I nodded and sat up.

"I'm sorry. You should have woken me up," I told him and sat up.

"No harm done. Actually, it's time you learned how to swim," he replied, slyness evident on his silky voice. My eyes widened.

"Oh, no! No, no, no, no, no. I swam enough today. Actually, I'm still tired. Let's go back," I said quickly, not wanting to repeat the day's events.

"Funny, I don't remember asking your opinion," he told me. His voice was getting closer; he was advancing on me.

"Really? Such short term memory? Maybe you're tired. We really should head back. See, you asked if I would like to learn how to swim and then I politely declined and you said, 'oh, that is just fine then,'" I told him with a nervous laugh, "Ok, let's go." Kakashi chuckled.

"I don't think so," he said and picked me up, slinging me over his shoulder.

"No! I don't wanna!" I screamed, kicking and banging my fists against him. "Come on, Kakashi!"

"No." I groaned.

"I need an adult!" I screamed, hoping someone would help.

"I am an adult," Kakashi reminded me.

"I didn't mean _you_," I muttered darkly. Kakashi sloshed into the water and set me down; the water was shallow enough to stand in.

"Come here," he told me in a firm voice- the one that got his students to work when they thought it was beneath them ( *cough*Sasuke*cough*). Hesitantly, I walked to Kakashi and allowed him to turn me around and place his hands firmly on my waist.

"I'm going to hold you up. he maneuvered me so that I was face down in the water, though I was still able to keep my head above it Now kick your legs, keeping them straight." I did as instructed, kicking my legs, making a good deal of noise. "That's good. Very good," my friend praised with a hint of mockery. Half of me wanted to drown with embarrassment. _A child! He's treating me like a child._

"Let me up. I want out," I told him sullenly.

"But you're doing so well," he told me but stood me up anyway, though keeping his hands on my waist so I couldn't leave.

"I won't have you treating me like a child then laughing at me."

"Who's laughing?" he asked pleasantly.

"You are. You want to anyway. I can tell, you know, I always can."

"I'm not laughing. I think you're cute," he told me pleasantly.

"Shut up. I said I want out!" I insisted and tried to get out of his grasp.

"So you're quitting again?" he asked quietly then let go of me, his fingers trailing off my waist. It struck a nerve.

"I don't quit, Kakashi Hatake," I insisted.

"I beg to differ. Whenever it gets too hard, you quit," he replied, still quiet.

"I do not!" Furious, I stalked to the edge of the lake and lifted myself out.

"I'll show you," I told him and pulled off my dark blue pants, white sleeveless undershirt, and arm socks, leaving me in my matching navy bra and underwear so the wet clothes wouldn't weigh me down. I got back in the water, waded purposefully to Kakashi, and tried to look him full in the face.

"Teach me," I commanded. He turned me around and put his hands on my waist again.

"That's more like it," he whispered in my ear and went back to teaching me.

An hour and a half later, I laid on the bank, miserable. I could float on my back and almost tread water, but no matter how much I worked at it, I couldn't actually swim.

"Can we please stop now?" I asked.

"Giving up again?" Kakashi asked from my right.

"Yes. I'm tired," I whined. A whole hour and a half of frustration made me on edge. It didn't help that beyond holding my waist and telling me to kick, Kakashi had no idea how to give a swimming lesson. It was sheer luck that I managed to accomplish what I had. And it didn't help that my friend would threaten to just drop me in the water and let me figure it out on my own; he never made good on his threats but it irked me anyway. He sighed.

"Yeah, me too. Let's go." I groaned, limbs heavy.

"That's ok. You go back, I'll sleep here. Night, Kishi-kun," I told him and rolled over. He sighed and told me to get up. He lifted me up piggyback and warned me not to get used to it.

"And you're going to learn how to swim if it's the last thing you do," he informed me.

"But you suck as a teacher," I grumbled.

"I don't have to carry you," he informed me dryly.

"I'm just saying," I grumbled.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Ok. This was a super long one, so don't get used to it. Hope ya'll are enjoying it so far. Shout-out to ShinobiStar, Aquarius23, and TheDeathBiscuit for reviewing! And thanks to those who favorited my story. Please Review everyone!

Oh. And I don't own Naruto, blah blah, you know the drill.


	5. Chapter 5

The next day, I woke up Kakashi and had him out in time to meet with his team. They nearly died of shock. Then I went to help Iruka again because, again, I was bored and Iruka was fun.

"Good morning, Shizuru-san," he told me brightly, all the morning person. I grumbled a reply, sat in one of the student desks, and put my head down.

"Rough night?" he inquired, teasing. I looked up to glare in his direction.

"I don't know what you've heard, but we're just friends." Even I wasn't sure if the snap in me voice was meant for him or me. "Sorry, Iruka-sensei. I'm just waterlogged."

"Oh, so it was THAT kind of night," he teased again. I took off a shoe and threw it at him. He laughed.

"The students will be coming in soon. We should be acting like adults," he informed me. I shrugged.

"So what's this about being waterlogged?" he asked, doing some last minute grading. I shrugged a second time.

"Kakashi was trying to teach me to swim and it's not exactly working. I'm not the best student and he doesn't exactly know how to give a swim lesson." I expected the young man to laugh or snort maybe offer some words of sympathy. No.

"I can teach you if you like," he offered. "I taught Naruto when he was little, so it shouldn't be too hard." I considered his offer.

"Really?" I asked, unsure if he was joking.

"Of course," he reassured.

"And you won't tell anyone?"

"Not a soul."

"...When can we start?"

"After school today." I half ran to him and hugged him tightly.

"You're the best, Iruka-sensei!"

Iruka's POV

"Lookie! Iruka-sensei got himself a GIRLFRIEND!" Moegi shouted as she entered the classroom with the rest of the students. Another girl giggled and clapped her hands.

"Well, I think it's nice," Udon said. Some other students made comments of the same kind or giggled so Iruka and Shizuru let go of one another, him blushing a little. Shizuru was attractive and more than charming, but just not exactly his type. Still, she could make him blush like an inexperienced teenager. Konohamaru pushed his way through the door, scowling at the teachers.

"He does not! Boss told me _she_ (he pointed at Shizuru) and his sensei had something goin' on!"

"Konohamaru!" Iruka exclaimed, exasperated. "That is not polite. It's those kind of statements that start rumors that can hurt people's feelings. Now-" Shizuru cut him off by gently placing a hand on his arm.

"Now, class. Wouldn't you call this a distraction? After all, while you're debating your boss'...who's 'Boss' by the way?" she asked the teacher quietly.

"Naruto," he replied, also in a whisper. Shizuru shook her head.

"Whatever. Anyway, while you're debating about me 'n' Iruka"

"Iruka and me" he corrected automatically and the kids giggled.

"An attack can sneak up on you from behind," a clone of the lady finished from just outside the door. It seemed that when Iruka was telling the boy about manners, she had made a clone. They all starred with big eyes and looked back and forth.

"That's no big deal. Boss can make hundreds of clones!" Konohamaru said, nose in the air.

"That's not the point, kiddo. The point is to stay alert and watch out for distractions. Distractions can cost lives. (the clone disappeared and Shizuru faced the chunin) Your turn," she said brightly and sat on the desk.

He told them to get to their seats then murmured to her, "Good job," glad she could cover up the little scene, no matter how harmless it was. An odd expression crossed her face as she nodded then slipped off the desk.

"I'll be right back," she murmured to him and walked out the door.

Shizuru's POV

I went outside and sat on the swing. Something about my words to the class irked me...teased my mind.

"Where have I heard that before?" I murmured. For some reason, it struck a nerve...

Flashback: _"Erm, Kishi-kun?" I said to my 15 year old friend. _

"_What have I told you about calling me that?" he responded. _

"_Right," I said, clasping my hands behind my back. "Sorry. So, um, I was wondering if you would like to go with me to the cherry blossom viewing party." He raised an eyebrow. _

"_Why?" I looked at him, surprised. _

"_I thought it obvious. I like you...a lot," I replied, cheeks mantled in a heavy blush. Kakashi regarded me indifferently. _

"_Shinobi shouldn't take part in such frivolous things-" _

"_But Naru is taking Matsia and I thought-" _

"_and as for liking me, anyone for that matter...things like that are distractions. __Distractions can cost lives.__ You can't put one person ahead of the team." I blinked back tears. _

"_So I'm a distraction, am I?" Kakashi shrugged. _

"_I don't want to distract you." I nodded, keeping my head down so he wouldn't see how hurt I was. "Now that that is settled, I've some business to take care of. Excuse me." 'That mission changed him,' I thought, 'He lost more than his eye and his friend...he lost a bit of himself. But then, some of that wasn't really him either- it's what he became like after his father killed himself. Now he's just...just...' _

"_You're a stupid jonin," I muttered, though he didn't hear; I didn't expect him to._ :End Flashback

_That's it. Kakashi told me that so long ago. No wonder why the words tasted funny in my mouth. He's come such a long way...after he lost Obito then Rin not long after, he started caring more. He even started to bend the tardiness rule. But even after learning to put the team before the mission, he wouldn't play favorites. Liking someone on your team was considered playing favorites and therefore, becoming a distraction. But now...I think I like how he's turned out. Almost just like how he was when we were little... when nothing came between us._ I sighed and got up, stretching the kinks from my back.

"I'd better get back in there before I start remembering too much," I grumbled and went inside.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

I was at Kakashi's getting my swimsuit and as soon as I put it in my bag, the door opened.

"Hey," Kakashi said.

"You're home early," I noticed.

"So?" I shrugged.

"Just saying. I'm going out. I'll see you later."

"Out? With who?" he asked, surprised.

"Iruka," I answered simply.

"What? Why?" he asked. I raised an eyebrow.

"Are you ok? I'm just going to go hang out with a friend, mother." He ignored the tease.

"Well, he's my friend too so he shouldn't mind if I tag-"

"No!" I said quickly. The swimming lessons were going to be a secret. That way I could surprise Kakashi. "Heh heh. _No_. It's just going to be us two. Don't know when we'll be done, so don't wait up, mother!" I said nervously and half ran out the door. From there, I used a teleportation jutsu to get to the lake so Kakashi couldn't follow me; he'd never think to look for me there anyway. I changed behind some bushes then waited for Iruka.

Iruka's POV

The chunin had just locked the door to his apartment when his silver-haired friend appeared next to him.

"Oh! Hello, Kakashi," he greeted.

"Hello, Iruka. What's up?" he asked.

"Nothing really," Iruka lied, scratching the scar across his nose; Shizuru wanted this kept secret, especially from Kakashi and she made him promise not to tell that he was her teacher.

"Oh, so how about we go do something," he suggested. His tone seemed innocent enough, but Iruka wasn't his friend for nothing.

"Stop messing around, Kakashi. What's wrong?" He shrugged.

"What are you and Shizuru up to?" Iruka blinked. _Figures I'd have to be sneaking around the best jonin in the village._

"We're up to nothing," he replied and treated him to a sly smile. "Are you going out with her?" Kakashi actually seemed stunned by the question.

"Wha- no! No, of course not," he replied hurriedly, very much out of character.

"Then there should be nothing wrong with me seeing her. Later, Kakashi," he said with a smile and walked away, leaving the jonin upstairs. Iruka smiled, knowing full well he had phrased his words the wrong way.

Shizuru's POV

Four days later, I was swimming like a fish. Iruka was an amazing teacher and a really great friend. He was straightforward, patient, and very kind, able to instruct without mocking me or making evil threats. The day after my first lesson with him, I was thrilled by how much I progressed. Kakashi pretended not to notice my glee, but broke at lunch at the ramen bar, asking how my night went.

"What's it to you?" I asked with a smirk. For some reason, my friend was not taking too kindly to the time spent alone with Iruka.

"Nothing, I was just curious about how your date went." I choked on my tea. "_What?_

"Your date. That's alright. I can just ask Iruka," he told me emotionlessly and left the ramen bar.

"_Date?_" I wondered aloud and thought back.

"I guess anyone would come to that conclusion. Well it's his fault for assuming," I told myself. What surprised me was that Kakashi didn't ignore me or treat me oddly. Actually, he insisted on staying close to me. He was even sociable toward Iruka. Or so I thought.

"So are you sure you and Kakashi are just friends?" Iruka asked me at our last swim meet. I dove into the water, giving myself time to think. Kakashi and I had been friends since we could walk but all in all, that meant nothing. I had liked him when I was younger, but that crush died out after I left- he was gone from my life. But then he came back and with him, unsettling feelings. I surfaced and went to the shallow end where Iruka was watching. _But unsettling feelings doesn't mean that I like him or that we're more than just friends._

"It's not a trick question, Shizuru," Iruka told me laughing, his hands on his hips according to his chakra outlines, "and you need to keep your arms straight when you dive or you won't cut through the water properly."

"Like this?" I asked, stretching my arms in front of me.

"Not exactly," he told me, sloshing over. The water came up to my waist but it was lower on him. He rearranged my arms from behind. I was comfortable enough around Iruka and knew him well enough now to flirt with him without him thinking me serious; he was great and all, just not for me and he knew it. But flirting is so much fun. I pressed my back against his wet body, making sure my leg touched his.

"Make them straight and pointed. Put your fingers like this," he instructed steadily in my ear, unmoved by my actions, and rearranged my hands with gentle fingers. I pouted a little, sad that he was getting used to my flirting. I liked it more when he got all embarrassed.

"Oh. Ok."

"So about you and Kakashi?" I dropped my arms casually.

"We're friends."

"Really? Cause every time I get close to you in front of Kakashi, he throws me the dirtiest looks. It's actually quite confusing." I shared his confusion but shrugged.

"He's probably just being over-protective. We were really close friends when we were young and then we were teammates."

"Maybe he likes you," Iruka commented, "Do the dive again." I got out of the water and went to a deeper part of the area.

"Maybe he feels like he has to protect me. After all, you're such a fiend," I retorted and did my twelfth dive that night, though correctly this time.

"Very good!" Iruka praised me when I resurfaced.

"I did it?"

"Yes."

"I did it!" I said, happily.

"That you did. One might say you had a good sensei," he remarked as I swam over to him. I giggled.

"He was modest, too." He laughed and slung an arm around my shoulders.

"It's late. We should get you home before your 'friend' chews me out tomorrow for keeping his little girl out past her bedtime. It's almost 10." I snorted and got out of the water.

"Mother? Nah. Kakashi won't be pouring into bed till after midnight." Iruka got quiet.

"You don't talk about Obito around him, do you?" I treated him to a flat expression as I toweled myself off.

"Do you think I'm stupid? I know better." I changed behind a bush as Iruka did the same a few yards in the opposite direction.

"Of course," he admitted. "I just…nevermind. So when will you show off your new skills? You've worked hard enough to show off."

"This is too important for me to play around with," I informed him in mock seriousness, stepping out from behind my cover and flipped my wet hair out from under my top. Iruka was already set to go.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Just a sec," I told him, bent over, and ran my hands over my hair, trying to weigh the water in it down with my chakra. I was too tired, so nothing happened. Usually, when I did that, the water became too heavy to cling to my hair and would fall out of it, making a puddle in front of me and leaving my hair dry. I sighed.

"Crap. Oh well, I'll think of some excuse. Ok, I'm ready," I told him. Iruka draped a friendly arm around my shoulders again and began to lead me home.

"Do you gamble?" he asked suddenly.

"From time to time, but for the most part, no. Why do you ask?" I replied.

"A wager."

"You mean a bet," I said.

"Yes. I'm still stuck on the idea that my friend has a thing for you." I snorted. "And though you obviously have a different opinion, I think that if you tried, he'd be all over you." I laughed.

"You're forgetting two things, Iruka-sensei," I informed him.

"Oh? And what might they be?"

"First, if you'll kindly remember who we're talking about, you'd realize that if any girl made a move on the pervert, he wouldn't mind in the least."

"You could give him a little more credit," Iruka argued.

"Despite that, you're assuming that I _want_ him to like me like that."

"Well, don't you?" he asked reasonably. I treated him to a shocked expression.

"Now where would you get a silly idea like that?" He tried to muffle his laugh with a hand.

"Your blush is a big hint," he commented. I promptly elbowed him in the ribs. He walked me to the complex and as usual, wouldn't go up so not to provoke any more gossip. "So what do you say? You lay the charm on him and if he doesn't say he likes you like that in a month, I lose." I snorted again. It felt weird betting on the feelings of someone I used to like, but might as well make a game out of it.

"Darling, I could give you two months or two years and Kakashi wouldn't feel that way about me. So what goes to the winner?" Iruka shrugged.

"Two months, huh? How about the winner decides in two months time, then?" I laughed. "I like that way of thinking. Alright. It's a bet." Iruka embraced me in a tight hug.

"What are you doing?" I asked, giggling as he nuzzled my neck; it tickled.

"Doing what I can to win," he murmured, then kissed my cheek.

"Good luck," he said brightly and left. Shaking my head with a small laugh, I went upstairs and inside, quiet just in case Kakashi was home and abed.

"Have fun?" Kakashi asked from a reclining position on his bed.

Kakashi's POV

Kakashi was on his bed reading when his roommate came in. Or, well, he was supposedly reading. Actually, he had gotten home early in hopes to spend time with his friend, but she was out with Iruka again. _He's my friend. Why does it bother me that he's spending so much alone time with her? It's not like she's my girlfriend or anything. Why would she be after everything that's happened?_ Kakashi glanced outside to see if Shizuru was back yet and this time she was...with Iruka. They talked for a few minutes then he pulled her into a tight embrace, nuzzling her neck. She smiled and Iruka let go to kiss her cheek. The jonin realized that he had been holding his breath all this time and quickly released the air, breathing normally again. His left hand had balled into a fist while the right clenched his book so tightly that his knuckles turned white as he watched Iruka touch Shizuru with such familiarity; strangely enough, something inside felt hot and painful. Kakashi's normally calm eyes become cold when Iruka simply kissed her cheek. He calmed down enough when they bade each other farewell and then felt shocked at the intensity of his emotions. Why had he felt such a rage when Iruka touched her like that? He didn't have time to consider these thoughts because Shizuru was making her way upstairs, though giving him just enough time to get into an innocent, comfortable position.

"Have fun?" he asked when she came in.

"It was a splash," she told him with a secretive smile. Kakashi grunted.

"You and Iruka seem to be getting along," he commented lazily, as though he couldn't care less.

"He's a nice guy," she responded.

"Mm-hmm." Kakashi pretended not to notice her roll her eyes as she grabbed a nightshirt and went into the bathroom to change. Shrugging, he flipped open his book to the proper page and started reading. A sharp noise made him look up, though. His eyes widened. Shizuru had banged her leg against the sink and was rubbing it; he could see that because she had accidentally left the door just under half open. She took off her over-suit slowly, making sure she wouldn't hit anything else. He tried to tear his gaze away, but when it came to her undershirt, she pulled it off with the same slowness. Shizuru slid her pants down slowly as well, bending at just the right angle to show off her body. Kakashi's blood started racing in his veins. _Well, if she's going to put on a show, I shouldn't be rude and ignore it,_ he reasoned. When she changed into her oversized nightshirt, she felt for the door and realized she hadn't closed it all the way. Her eyebrows shot up. _I could always pretend to be asleep..._

"Got yourself an eyeful, didn't ya?" she asked, a slight smirk on her face. _Busted._

"What do you mean?" he asked, trying to sound innocent. She snorted and crawled onto the sleeping pallet, taking her turn on it. "So why's your hair wet?" he asked, not only curious, but wanting to take attention away from the fact that he was watched her change clothes. She made herself comfortable by putting her arms behind her head and closed her eyes.

"I was in…water," she said, awkwardly. It took the man a few moments to understand what she said. Her position made her already large breasts seem larger.

"Water?"

"Yeah. Water."

"With Iruka?" he asked, keeping his voice neutral. A secretive smile formed on her lips.

"Maybe." Thoughts of them in the bathtub together came unbidden into his mind. _Why am I getting so jealous? We're not together, so what difference should it make? _Turning off the light, he tried to go to sleep, but questions still buzzed around his mind and his heart kept pumping loudly and harshly against his ribcage. It wasn't until tonight that he realized how close she slept next to him. A gentle strumming of fingers on his arm made him open his eyes. Shizuru was peeking over the bed like a child, her dark hair illuminated by the moonlight.

"Hn?"

"Um, Kishi-kun? Tomorrow, after I help out Iruka with his class and you're done with your students, could we do something?" she asked with childish innocence.

"Like what?" he asked, curious.

"I want to show you something," she replied, an air of impishness around her. Kakashi regarded her for a moment.

"What kind of something?" he finally asked.

"Something you'll like," she replied, as if that answered his question perfectly. Though she couldn't see it, Kakashi smiled in a self-satisfied way.

"Sure. Sounds like fun," he told her, allowing warmth to enter his usually passive voice. Shizuru smiled happily and lay back down, asleep in only a matter of seconds.

:Flashback: _It was the middle of the mission and the team was forced to kip on tree branches. _

"_You're going to fall off," Kakashi informed Shizuru from his branch beneath hers. _

"_Will not," she retorted haughtily. "Say Kishi-kun?" she asked, using his childhood nickname- he hated that nickname. _

"_I've a kunai and I don't miss," he warned her. _

"_If you say so. Won't you let me see your face?" _

"_No." Shizuru turned so she was able to look down on him, balancing across the branch on her stomach._

"_Come on, let me see!" she told him laughing as she reached for his mask. It was a game the two played- to see who could hold out longer. Of course, Kakashi always won; her attention span was no match for him. Shizuru overreached and slipped from the branch. Reflexes sharp as always, Kakashi was just able to grab her as she fell. He pulled her up onto his branch. Her black eyes were still very wide from the shock, visible by the moonlight. She turned to her savior, embarrassed. _

"_Heh heh. I guess I did fall," she admitted. "Thanks for the save." _

"_No trouble," he told her emotionlessly then realized his arm was still around her waist; he quickly removed it. The blood was burning inside his body and the air hurt in his lungs...she was so close to him...so distracting... She leaned over and kissed his masked cheek. _

"_Thanks again," she said happily and stood, swinging herself back to her branch. Shaking his head, Kakashi leaned back and crossed his arms. 'Distracting...' he thought to himself. :_End Flashback:

Kakashi lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling. _She IS rather distracting now. But I don't mind..._

_/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/_

Thanks for reading! It means a lot that you've stuck with me this far. Random long chapter- don't get used to it. I just…couldn't stop…

Anywho, thanks again to ShinobiStar, 3DY3Namite, Aquarius23, AkuRoku Lover, DreamerMurphy, and darkrose656 for reviewing and to everyone who added this to their favorites. Reviews feed my muse, which makes me update faster, so, you know…*nudge nudge* Please? ^_^

As always, I don't own Naruto, ect. Gawd, I'd be rich if I did…


	6. Chapter 6

Iruka's POV

He sat in his classroom doing some last minute grading. Though spending the evenings with Shizuru was fun, it kind of made the teacher fall behind a little. Iruka snickered when he thought of last night. _Kakashi likes her and I'm willing to bet my rank that she likes him too. They just need a little push. Even if it is a very sneaky underhanded one. I'll have to thank Naruto for the idea when this is all over._ As an afterthought, Iruka prayed that his friend would not kill him for last night's stunt; Iruka only did it because he saw the jonin look out the window and thought to try to play the jealousy card. The door slid open and Shizuru came in, looking very upset. The teacher had told her that he really didn't need any more help (it was just that one day things were hectic) but she was welcome to come if she had nothing better to do.

"I can't do it!" she exclaimed. Iruka stared at her, bewildered, then remembered that she couldn't see his puzzled expression.

"Do what?"

"I can't do the serious flirting think with him." The chunin knew very well who 'him' was.

"But you flirt with me all the time," he argued reasonably. She slumped her shoulders.

"It's play flirting. I do that with him, too. But not serious stuff. It's like I'm trying to lead him on." _She still doesn't know if she wants him yet, then._ "Every time I opened my mouth to say something, nothing would come out. You win. I want out." Iruka noticed that she said 'want out' as opposed to 'quit' and smiled.

"So you're giving up on this too? It's too hard then?" he challenged. Shizuru drew herself up to her full 5'4" and gave him the iciest glare he'd ever seen.

"Playing around like I always do is fine, but I don't want to hurt my friend. That's why I can't do this anymore. I'd be leading him on and it's not right." Iruka sighed, not expecting her to be THAT defensive of him.

"Alright," he told her, "I win. So I want you to just take a few weeks and spend it with him. You don't have to flirt if you don't want to, just hang out." _That should do it. The more time she spends with Kakashi, the more likely she'll realize she wants to be with him,_ Iruka thought to himself triumphantly. The petite girl relaxed.

"Really? That's it? Fine. I see no harm in that."

"Good. You can start now. Today is just going to be a lecture, so I won't need any help," he told her. Slowly, she nodded and left. _I should play matchmaker more often. This is fun._ Not two seconds later, the kids came in so he stood to take attendance.

Shizuru's POV

I went to the bridge, still feeling a bit bad about last night. I undressed slowly on purpose to make sure I didn't fall over or hurt myself but hadn't counted on the door being open so much. Honestly, I thought to only give him a peek, not a show. I knew I was pushing it a little with my sleeping position, too. Even as teens, Kakashi Hatake was always a tits and legs guy. As perverted as that man was, I was surprised he didn't say anything, much less do anything. _That's not true. He would never do anything to me without permission. Kishi-kun is a perv, not a creep. I don't know why I was making such a big deal about it. Hell, I can flirt all I want with him and he wouldn't notice anyway. That's strange. They should be here. It's almost 8,_ I thought as I came up on the bridge. And there they were...or at least there the students were.

"Where's your sensei?" I asked.

"Late, as always," Naruto said grumpily. Shaking my head, I went to wake him up...again.

"Kishi-kun, wake up!" I insisted. He groaned and rolled over. "I woke you once this morning, I have no qualms about doing it again," I told him dryly, sitting on his long legs. Sooner or later he would feel it. "Kiiishiii-kuuun," I cooed, stroking a finger across his face.

"You're heavy," he grumbled.

"And you're asleep. You're supposed to be out with your students." He grunted and tried to push me off. I snapped his mask against his face.

"Will you stop that?" he demanded, sitting up quickly, which made me topple off.

"Hey! Not nice!" He didn't care and said as much. "Why'd you go back to sleep? You were getting dressed when I left." Sure enough, he had his pants on, but nothing else (mask is always a give in).

"Unlike you, I don't fall sound asleep the minute my head hits the pillow," he informed me bitterly as he finished getting dressed. I didn't trust him to finish without me there this time. I couldn't see anything, so I pushed my usual politeness aside and stayed in the same room. When he was finally ready, we left to see if there were any missions for the genin.

"Dogs? We have to walk dogs?" Naruto complained as he looked at the set they had to walk.

"A mission, no matter how small, is priority one. After the team, anyway," I amended, petting the dogs, "And that mission is always for the betterment of our village." Naruto nodded and picked out the dog as big as he was; the huge thing pulled him away, ready to go. Shaking their heads, Sakura and Sasuke picked out smaller, more manageable dogs, and went after him.

"How far up ahead are they?" I asked, confused that Kakashi wasn't keeping up with them.

"Not too terribly far. But they know what to do. I like to let them act independently then help if they need it. Plus it forces them to work together at times." I smiled.

"Sounds like you took a page out of Touda-sensei's book."

"I might have," he replied in a pleasant tone.

"Well, let's hurry before we lose them completely," I said with a sigh and took his hand. Since I had my walking stick, I didn't need to be lead arm in arm. I squeezed his hand a little to let him know I was ready, but when he returned the gesture, it made my heart skip a beat. _What's the matter with me?_

"You alright?" he asked, a little amused.

"Why wouldn't I be?" I asked with a smile, hiding my uneasiness.

"You're blushing," he remarked casually and continued walking, going slow enough for me to not feel too rushed. I fought the urge to clap my hand to my face to check, instead beaming at him.

"I'll have to take your word for it." He snorted and we walked on.

"So you're sure you'll be ok?" I asked Naruto. The huge dog led the poor boy into a mine field and Naruto came out a little worse for wear.

"Heh heh. Sure thing, Shizuru-san. Just a good night sleep and I'll be right as rain." Worried, I asked if he was sure he didn't want a little help. Again, he insisted he was fine, but I knew at least part of it was that he was showing off for Sakura.

"Well, if you're sure..." Kakashi dismissed his students and said to me, "So what did you want to show me?" he asked.

"Oh! That's right. This way!" I told him eagerly and ran ahead, activating my rykugan and putting my stick in my sash.

"Should you be using your eyes this much?" he asked as he easily kept up with me.

"I don't know. I should be fine," I reassured him. He didn't respond but continued running with me. About 10 minutes later, we arrived at the small, secluded lake...thing...

"You do realize where we are, right?" Kakashi asked.

"No, I only led you here," I retorted and unzipped his tactical vest.

"What are you doing?" he asked as I slipped it from his shoulders.

"What does it look like? I'm stripping you," I said happily. Shocked, Kakashi was unable to say anything as I undressed him.

"Let's see, vest: check, shirt: check, kunai pouches: check. That's fine," I said, mainly to myself then pushed him. SPLASH! I quickly stripped myself down to my swimsuit, which I had on all day, and yelled, "Look!" I did a dive into the water, just like Iruka taught me. I surfaced, beaming, and did a few smooth strokes around the man.

"So, you turned into a little mermaid, did you? When did that happen? And you can stop swimming in circles now," he said. Though he was able to easily stand, I was forced to tread water to stay in front of him.

"This is what I wanted to show you. I can swim. See? I didn't quit," I told him proudly. He regarded me silently, a small smile just barely visible through his mask. "Iruka-sensei taught me. That's what I've been doing this past week. Sorry I was kinda brushing you off and all," I continued.

"How nice. Though I admit I liked it when you couldn't swim before," he told me and wrapped his arms around my waist so I wouldn't have to swim. My heart beat faster and I was sure that he felt it. My lips curled into a small smile.

I leaned in close by his ear and whispered breathily, "I can flirt too, you know."

"I flirt because I know what I'm asking for. Do you?" he asked, gently turning my head so he could look me face to face. The breath was catching in my lungs and I felt like all I wanted to do was just touch him. Instead, I giggled and lightly pushed him back, getting out of his hold.

"Oh Kishi-kun. You don't know what you want." Taking a quick gulp of air, I went under the water and pulled at his leg. He swiped at me, but missed.

Kakashi's POV

_She's right. I don't know_. He shook his head. _So this is what she's been up to- proving she's changed. I'm going to kill Iruka for making me think..._ I swiped at her again, this time making contact and pulling her up by an arm.

"So Iruka taught you all this?"

"Yep!"

"And are you two..."

"Great friends? We sure are."

Kakashi treated her with a flat expression that she could hardly see.

"Er, no. I meant, are you two more than friends?"

Shizuru treated him to a rather sly smile and replied, "Yes..." Kakashi released her arm and tried to dismiss the empty feeling he got at those words, rationalizing that it was the cool water getting to him. "Like I said, we're great friends." He opened his mouth to make a rude comment, but she continued. "You know, the kind of friends that stay up late, braid each other's hair, paint our nails, put on fashion shows, talk about hot guys- you're talked about often by the way, play truth or dare until the wee hours of the morn-" The man put a hand against her mouth to silence the babble.

"Alright. Perfectly innocent relationship, I get it. You don't have to get so painfully detailed about it. I might never sleep again because I can't get the image of Iruka all dressed up like a girl out of my mind." She giggled against his fingers; it was an intriguing sensation. Quickly, he withdrew them. Kakashi knew he could flirt all he wanted, she wouldn't act on it, no matter how far he took it. _Everything is a game, a joke to her._ While he was musing, she had gotten back under the water and went behind him, only to swim through his legs, catching his knees at her shoulders and causing him to topple over. Kakashi stood up and coughed, as he hadn't expected the sudden assault. Shizuru laughed merrily...until he dunked her himself.

About an hour more of this simple enjoyment went on before Kakashi's stomach growled. Shizuru laughed but stopped when hers did as well.

"Come on, let's get some ramen," he told her and helped her out of the water. She used one of her water jutsus to pull off most of the water from on their body and clothes, but his hair was still very damp. She didn't even bother to try to dry her hair out.

"Sorry, I'm over my limit," she said as she rubbed her temples and squeezed her eyes shut.

"Don't worry about it. Will you be alright?" It was obvious that 'are you alright' would be a stupid question.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. No worries. It's just the strain, you know?" Taking her arm as usual, he led her back out. Shizuru didn't bother using her stick; most of her weight was on Kakashi's arm, anyway._ She's really worn out. Hopefully food will help. _ Finally, he sat her down on a stool at the ramen stand.

"What will you have, miss?" Mr. Ichiraku asked.

"Chicken ramen and sake," she said and put her head on the table.

"Headache now or hangover later?" the other jonin inquired. She groaned.

"Fine, you lout. Tea then."

He ignored the insult, blaming it on the headache and ordered his own food. He had just been served when he heard a "Kakashi-sensei! Shizuru-san!" An orange blur latched onto Shizuru.

"Hey, Naruto," she sighed, "This is a warning: I have a headache the size of Konoha so don't be loud, ok?" He nodded.

"Sure thing, Shizuru-san," he whispered. _I'll have to learn that trick. Well, if Naruto is here for dinner, then that means-_ Iruka walked up and ducked under the awning.

"Hey, guys," he greeted cheerfully.

"Shhh!" Naruto reprimanded his teacher.

"She has a headache!" the boy told him in a very loud whisper. Kakashi looked back a Shizuru. She looked like she had passed out. _I wonder why Naruto is so protective of her and why he actually uses -san. Perhaps it's because she saved his life. Or because she's a stranger that found out what he was and accepted him even more readily._

"Oh. Sorry," Iruka apologized and rubbed her back as he sat down next to her. This time, Kakashi didn't mind so much when the other man touched her, after her telling about their plutonic relationship in such sarcastic detail. The jonin looked at him, imagining him in the slumber party getup that their friend had described, and fought the urge to laugh.

"You're laughing at me," Iruka told him. Like Shizuru, Iruka had been his friend long enough to know one expression from another. It was interesting, seeing as how the only visible part of his face was one eye.

"You can talk when I have food and energy," Shizuru told the group flatly from her face down position.

"_This isn't a hangover is it?"_ Iruka ninja-hand signaled.

"_No. She just overused her eyes with her kekki genkai," _Kakashi replied, also signaling.

"_How long?"_

"_Half the day," _he replied and shook his head at her foolishness. There was a reason that blind people stayed blind...the strain could kill them. Mentally...physically...whatever. Mr. Ichiraku put her food in front of her and patted her head gently to let her know. After he placed Kakashi's in front of him two seconds later, Mr. Ichiraku took Naruto's and Iruka's orders. With every bite, Shizuru looked better...less drained.

"Feel better?" Iruka asked and placed a hand on her thigh. Her eyebrow raised slightly but he pretended not to notice. _Ok, a friendly hand on the back is one thing, but this is not allowed._ Kakashi was about to purposefully clear his throat, but Naruto actually beat him to the punch, intentionally or not.

The blond piped up, "Say, Iruka-sensei! What did you teach your class today?" With a kind smile, he removed his hand turned to his former student and told him of his day; Kakahsi took this distraction to quickly eat his food. About ten minutes later, Kakashi and Shizuru said their goodbyes. Iruka stood and gave her a kiss on the cheek though his eyes were on his friend, daring him to do something about it.

When he sat down, the jonin leaned over and whispered in his ear, "It's not going to work, Iruka." He stiffened slightly then relaxed.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he murmured back, gently scratching his scar, showing he was lying. Shaking his head, Kakashi left, deciding not to pursue it further.

"Is everything ok?" Shizuru asked worriedly.

"Erm, sure. Don't worry. It's nothing." She smiled and 'looked' up at him becomingly through her long lashes.

"I never worry," she told him brightly and squeezed his hand.

Shizuru's POV

"How are you feeling today?" Naruto asked the next afternoon. I smiled at the boy; he was so sweet, even if he was loud.

"I'm feeling much better, thank you." He hesitated, fumbling for the right words. Broadening my smile, I pat the space on the bench next to me; he sat.

"Can you see today?" he finally asked quietly. I gave him a one armed hug.

"You know, I don't mind talking about it. You don't have to be scared that I'll cry or get mad or anything. And no, I can't see today. My Rykugan has a limit because of the damage already there. I should only use it as little as possible. Plus, I used it a lot yesterday so I could really hurt myself if I tried to use it for the next few days," I told him. He chuckled.

"I get it. So what are you doing out here alone then?" I held up my book.

"Reading." I wasn't about to tell him I got lost and had no idea where I was.

"How can you read it? There's no words...not even on the front. Or color or nothin!" I giggled.

"I'll take your word for it about the color, but there are words. Here, feel," I instructed, taking his hand and running his fingers across the raised characters. "It takes a while to get the hang of," I admitted.

"That's cool!" Naruto said happily. "So what are you reading?" I closed the book and put it in my back kunai pouch.

"It's nothing, really," I told him, trying not to be suspicious. "You probably wouldn't like it. So why are you out of practice so early?"

"Eh, we did a teamwork exercise again then he dismissed us. Oh! I promised Konohamaru that I'd play with him today. I'll see you later, Shizuru-san!" he told me and ran off. Sighing, I stood up and just walked, tapping my way along and trying to figure out where I was and what to do to pass the time. That didn't mean that people paid attention. Someone bumped into me hard and didn't bother to help me stand, instead calling over his shoulder for me to watch where _I _was going.

"My! Such a lovely damsel. Allow me," a man told me in a rather flamboyant voice and helped me to stand. _Vaguely familiar..._ He gasped slightly. "Such youth! If you will be mine, I will protect you all of your days. Please, tell me your name," he said, clasping both my hands now. I blinked at him a few times, very surprised.

"Erm, Shizuru Imamura. Your, ah, confidence is staggering," I remarked, unsure of what else I could say until I knew who it was. "Might I ask your name?" _And let go of my hands._

"But of course! I am Might Guy, rival of the Copy Ninja himself," he told me proudly. _Guy! His voice has gotten so much deeper than I remember. Confident as ever._ I took my hands from his and bowed at the waist.

"Thank you for your help, though I'm afraid I must turn down your generous offer," I told him seriously. Normally, I might have flirted with him after I got a little better 'acquainted', but this man was too serious and might take my harmless flirting as something more.

"That's alright then. I understand." I nearly fell over again.

"Good to know you move on quickly enough," I muttered.

"It is the ninja way to adjust to change," he told me grandly. I beamed at him, more than accepting the explanation.

"A philosophy I couldn't agree more with."

"I'm heading to the Hokage's. He summoned all the jonin, but I assume you already knew that. Would you mind if I escorted a lady bursting with youth such as yourself?" I shook my head at his manner and smiled.

"I would be honored." _He hasn't changed a bit._

"Then to the meeting, we shall go!" he announced and, linking my arm through his, led me to the building. _Perfect. I am no longer lost and I won't get yelled at for not showing up!_

Kakashi's POV

He looked around the room and noticed that Guy had brought Shizuru. Having been worried that she had got lost or something, Kakashi thought to go see if she was ok, but lo and behold, Guy beat him to it. _I just won't say anything or he'll look at is as another challenge between us._

"I have summoned you for a very important purpose. Seeing your fellow jonin here, you probably know what this is about," Hokage told the room. Kakashi snapped to attention. _So soon? I thought we'd have a little more time._

"I take it the other lands have been notified of the coming event," Asuma commented, his cigarette still in his mouth. "I noticed some of their genin have already arrived in the village."

"And when do we start?" Kurenai asked.

"We will begin in one week," Hokage answered.

"That's pretty short notice," Kakashi told him, keeping the reproach from his voice. The Hokage only exhaled smoke from his pipe, not commenting on the observation.

"Take heed," he said. "Exactly seven days from today, on the 1st day of July, the genin will be gathered and tested. Only the best will be selected as chunin." He went on to say that it was time to choose the candidates for the examinations. Feeling more or less confident, Kakashi recommended all of his genin, hoping they were as ready as he believed they were. Kurenai and Asuma recommended their whole squads as well, to Iruka's loud discomfort. He angrily told the teachers that his students weren't ready. Kakashi pointed out that he was 6 years younger and Shizuru 4 years younger than Naruto when they passed the chunin exam, knowing it wasn't about all of the students. It was Naruto. The masked jonin only mentioned Shizuru's passing age because he thought that Iruka would react more pleasantly to hearing her name than just his own.

"Hey, don't drag me into this," she exclaimed from the other side of the room, surprised. Iruka practically yelled that Naruto was nothing like either of them, ignoring her just as Kakashi did. He demanded to know if Kakashi was trying to destroy the boy. _That's what I thought. It's about Naruto._

"They're always complaining that they aren't being challenged enough. Maybe wiping out on the exams would teach them a lesson. A little pain is good," Kakashi told him pleasantly.

"Wha-what did you say?" He smiled wolfishly beneath his mask.

"Oh, nothing fatal of course. But seriously, Iruka. Relax. They're not your students anymore. They are mine." The Hokage ruled in favor of Kakashi, sort of, saying that he'd put up a preliminary exam. He dismissed everyone, but surprisingly asked Shizuru and Kamizuki to wait.

Shizuru's POV

Unsure of why he singled out Kamizuki and myself, I stayed put as the others filed from the room. Kakashi placed a gentle hand on my shoulder in reassurance but left as well.

"Ah, Imamura, Kamizuki. I have something to keep you two entertained. The chunin exams are next week, as you just heard. The genin have to turn in their papers by 3 on Friday. Mess with the younger ones. If they can't get in, they shouldn't be in." We bowed at the waist.

"Sir." He turned to the younger ninja.

"This would have gone to your team, but as your partner is indisposed, I hope you will find her acceptable. That's all," he said simply. Again, we bowed and the Hokage left. I didn't know this other ninja, but he seemed pleasant enough. He asked for my address, saying he'd pick me up that day. I gave Kakashi's to him and we agreed that we'd pose as older combatants and bully the littler ones away. He said his goodbyes and hurried off. Thanks to many years of practice, I left the room, having memorized the Hokage's building when I had first arrived in Konoha.

"Well? What'd he say?" Kakashi asked, coming up on my right; he had waited.

"Oh, this and that," I replied, waving my hand.

"I see you have met Shizuru," another voice said proudly.

"Hello, Guy," Kakashi said for my benefit, unaware that I had already identified him.

"Yes, I've had the pleasure," Kakashi replied politely. I giggled and held a hand to my face, not used to my friend speaking so formally.

"Such maidenly youth!" Guy exclaimed and grabbed my hands again. "Please reconsider my offer!" Giggling again, I raised an eyebrow.

"Whatever happened to moving on?" I inquired.

"Aah!" he cried, putting his head to my hands. Kakashi sighed.

"Let go, Guy. You're scaring her."

"Huh?" Guy questioned. I laughed nervously and pulled my hands from his.

"Don't worry about it," I told him and turned to leave but tripped on something. BAM! Distracted, I forgot to break my fall with my hands and fell flat on my face. "Owww," I groaned. "The both of you are ninja and neither of you caught me? You both suck," I told them as I tried to stand. Kakashi gave me a hand up, his hand warm against my skin. Blushing slightly, I bit my lip. Casually, Kakashi draped an arm around my shoulders.

"You do realize you're a ninja too."

"Oh, yeah..." I murmured, embarrassed, and rubbed the back of my neck.

"So you're not hurt are you?" Kakashi asked, lifting my chin to examine my face. Butterflies erupted in my stomach for some strange reason. Nervous by the reaction, I stepped back from his reach and insisted that I was fine.

"Well, I need to get back to my students," Guy said a little too quickly and disappeared. _Kakashi probably told him to leave._

"Hm, let's get a closer look at that face. We don't want a broken nose or unsightly bruise or anything," Kakashi told me and gently took my face in his hands. My heart pounded. _What's going on?_ I reached out a hand to feel his face but this time, he didn't stop me.

"Is anyone else still here?" I whispered.

"No," he told me just as quietly. _What the hell is the matter with me? It's just Kakashi. It's just like being 15 again...but different. Stronger even..._ I reached up again and pulled his mask down, cursing my useless eyes and overusing them. Deftly, my fingers trailed down his cheeks then across his nose as I built a picture in my mind and memorized every inch. _His face is slender and soft. It should be with that mask protecting it all the time._ The tip of his straight nose ever so slightly tipped up at the end, something his mask hid. His lips were soft and moist, the epitome of sensuality. My fingers lingered there, and I had the urge to press my own against them, but I swallowed the feeling, instead moving upward so I could feel around his eyes. They weren't as deep set as Iruka's, but they had a nice shape to them anyway. The only blemish on his skin that I could feel was the scar down his left eye- the one where he lost his eye only to be replaced by the Sharingan. Hesitantly, I pushed up his headband so my fingers could travel along the length of the scar. Though not really one for being attracted to a man with battle scars, I had to admit his was rather attractive in a strange way. The question bubbled in my stomach- why? Why was he letting me 'see' him when he hid his face behind the mask for so long? I had never seen it- not even when we were children. But I didn't ask, telling myself that I didn't need to know. Deep down, I knew I was afraid that he was only being nice and doing special things like this not because he liked me or was my friend, but out of pity. Or guilt. The latter would be worse.

"Why do you hide it?" I asked, finally breaking the silence and removing my hand, though very reluctantly. I could hear the cloth slide against his skin as he pulled his mask back up.

"Don't ask if you don't want me to lie," he told me simply.

"Fine, be that way," I told him, pretending to be miffed and walked across the room to the door, though elated he trusted me enough for this. Kakashi sighed heavily.

"You're going to get lost. Come on, Zury," he told me, actually using my childhood nickname, and led me to his home. I was surprised he called me that. It was almost like he wanted to remember the past now. _Don't press it. Just enjoy it._

"Do you really think your squad is ready for the chunin exam?" I asked, worried about the kids I had grown fond of over these past few weeks.

"I do, but it's up to them, not me." I nodded in agreement.

"I just hope Sakura won't do it just because Sasuke is. Or that Naruto pressures her into it," I commented. I had to force myself to wait a year and train before I became a chunin when Kakashi took his exam.

"Oh, I have faith," Kakashi reassured me.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Naruto doesn't belong to me and I make no money from this. I did use lines from the tv series, though. Thanks for sticking with me for so long. I'm really sorry it took so long to update. Also, special thanks to Aquarius23 for reviewing. Reviews are more precious than gold, so please be generous and tell me what you think/how I can improve!


	7. Chapter 7

Kakashi's POV

Friday came around and with it, someone knocking at the door. Kamizuki was standing there, checking that the apartment number was the same as on the small slip of paper in his hand when Kakashi answered. He looked at the taller ninja, slightly confused, and re-checked the number on the door.

"What is it, Kamizuki?" he asked lazily, leaning in the doorway. The chunin was still confused but attempted to hide it, unfurrowing his dark brown eyebrows and calming his brown eyes.

"I'm supposed to pick up Shizuru," he said.

"Shizuru!" Kakashi called.

"Yeah?" she answered from the other room.

"Someone's here for ya," he replied. Having lived at Kakashi's apartment for almost a month now (open apartments were hard to find, or at least that's what he said; he hadn't tried that hard to find her one), Shizuru effortlessly made her way to the door without having to feel where she was going. Her hair was pulled in a high ponytail and she had sunglasses on. She never wore sunglasses. "Uh..."

"It's sunny outside," she explained with a bright smile and walked out, shutting the door. Kakashi stared at the closed door, honestly flabbergasted.

"What...just happened?" he asked himself. Shaking his head, he opened the door and followed, telling himself he was only doing it because the Hokage told him to keep an eye on her.

Shizuru's POV

I walked alongside Izumo Kamizuki, using only as little chakra as possible to make my eyes useful. Though only able to see faint outlines of chakra, it was enough to get me to the academy without running into anyone or looking weak in front of my temporary partner.

"Nice shades," he remarked.

"Thanks. I got them yesterday. So what's up with your partner?"

"Hm? Oh. His sister is sick and he doesn't want to leave her. She'll be fine, don't worry," he told me.

"Why doesn't he just take her to the hospital? Or the Kiuchi's med-school. They always use real patients as models if they aren't too seriously injured or sick. You know, if the girl doesn't like hospitals." He seemed surprised.

"You haven't heard? The clan was wiped out years ago." I stopped, eyes wide behind my sunglasses.

"Are you sure? Perhaps you're mixing it up with the Uchiha clan," I said hopefully.

"Uh-uh. The Uchihas were about a year or so later. But the Kiuchi clan was demolished. The Uchihas are a little more well-known, so I can see how you got news of them and not the Kiuchis." _That can't be right. It just can't be. My clan was too strong to be taken out. I just can't see how...Why didn't anyone tell me? Why didn't Kakashi tell me?_

"Hey, uh, I didn't mean to upset you or anything. Here," Izumo told me and gently wiped my cheeks with his thumbs. "I didn't realize you were so close to them."

"You could say that," I told him as more tears came down from behind my sunglasses. "But who could have..."

"It's ok," he told me uncertainly and placed an arm around my shoulders. After a few minutes to calm down, I straightened and wiped my eyes.

"I'm sorry," I told him, trying to make my voice light, "That's better. Now shouldn't we finish this mission?" I pushed all thoughts of my family to the back of my mind and heart for later. Not healthy, but any mission, no matter how small, came first.

"...If you're sure you're ok..." Izumo said hesitantly and, still with his arm comfortingly around my shoulders, walked with me the rest of the way.

Kakashi's POV

_Who does he think he is? What with those long bangs that cover half his face and that lingering smirk. He's freakin' 3 years younger than she is!_ the jonin thought to himself angrily and conveniently forgot that he covered most of his face and was younger than Shizuru as well, if only by a few months. Reigning in his thunderous thoughts, he casually followed them, wondering what could have possibly made his friend cry and why he was getting so hyped up over her hanging out with another man. Iruka was Kakashi's friend and was only messing around, but he didn't know Izumo well enough to judge. The jonin told himself for the millionth time that he was just there to protect her- she'd been through enough already- and not because he just liked being around her.

Shizuru's POV

Izumo couldn't believe my severe change in attitude and said as much. I nodded in understanding.

"It's long over with. Mourning them now would prove useless. It's sad, yes, but I have nothing to gain by weeping for days...I've seen worse."

"You make it sound like you're a grandmother. I mean, you're my age," he told me, amused. I raised an eyebrow.

"And how old are you?"

"24." I nodded.

"Close enough." He chuckled.

"I know better than to ask. Let's change over here," Izumo told me and steered me off course past some bushes. I could no longer feel the warm sun on my skin, emphasizing that it was a secluded shaded area. Looking around, I recognized where we were. This was the grove by the academy where you couldn't be seen by people who weren't really looking and was used as a make-out spot more often than not. It made me smile that Izumo knew about it, but I couldn't say anything as I knew about it as well.

"Ready?" he asked. I nodded and used a genjutsu. Though roughly keeping my body shape, I made my peaches a little smaller, my clothes into shorts and a tank top, and my hair blonde. I also activated my Rykugan, though Izumo didn't notice as he didn't know about my blindness.

"You look good," he told me, voice ever so slightly higher than it usually was.

"Thanks, Izumo. You too," I told him, voice also higher. Though without color, it was true; he had a young prankster's air about him that was only intensified by his young face. "Come on," I told him. To make our emergence from the hidden area less suspicious if anyone saw, he took my hand and went out first so it would seem that a boy was leaving a make-out spot with his sweetheart. I followed him inside the academy and we took our places on the second floor.

"Would you like to do it, or shall I?" he inquired with a slight, playful bow.

"You can," I told him and leaned against the door.

"Thanks," he said happily and used another genjutsu to make the area around us look like the third floor. "Well, we have a while before the younger ones come," he said after a few older genin walked by without a glance at the genjutsu.

"And?" I asked, a little bored.

"I was wondering- Oh wait, you got a twig in your hair," he interrupted himself and ran his fingers through my bangs to get it out. Kakashi walked by, his nose in his book. He spared a stoic glance at us and kept walking, to wait for his team at the entrance no doubt. Though his expression, what I could see, was impassive, I could see the reproach in his eye. Shrugging it off, I turned back to my temporary partner.

"Wondering about what?"

"Oh, right. I was wondering about you and Kakashi." I raised an eyebrow.

"Are you always this nosey?" I retorted.

"Pretty much," he admitted. "But my partner is worse."

"We're old friends. I needed a place until I get an apartment of my own. I'm still looking," I told him. He nodded.

"We have rooms open in my complex. Remind me later," he told me.

"Thanks," I said as a few younger genin walked up. "Look sharp," I murmured. A Leaf ninja tried to edge between the two of us but Izumo pushed him back harshly. "Where do you think you're going, runt?" I asked, savoring the taste of being the one to say it and not be called it.

"But we have to turn in our applications in there by 3!" he said.

"Psh. You want to be a chunin? What are you, 6?" I asked.

"I'm 13! And me 'n' my team need to get in there!" he said and charged at the door. I gracefully kicked him back as a few more squads came up. They too wanted to turn in their applications. After a few more discouraging blows to other genin that thought they were all that, a new squad walked up. One I recognized instantly as a Hyuga, my clan having rivaled them from birth. A boy and a girl accompanied him. The girl wore her hair in a childish panda ear style. Panda girl walked forward and Izumo pushed her back.

"You're taking the chunin exams and you can't even get past US?" I asked, all the snobbish upperclassman.

"Why don't you just give up before you get beat?" Izumo drawled. I snickered. "Yeah, you don't want to bruise your cute little face." Panda girl walked forward again, determined.

"Please let us through. We need to get in there," she told me. I shook my head and my partner promptly punched her in the face. She fell backwards and landed on her rump. Someone murmured that it was harsh. _Seriously! If they can't get past us, then how do they expect to be chunin?_

"Harsh, huh? Don't be stupid. We don't even compare to the Exams," I told them sternly, glaring from behind my shades. Izumi chuckled darkly.

"Some of you won't survive the exam, some of you will be scarred for life, and some of you might go crazy. For the chunin, it's always life and death." Someone snickered at his dramatics.

"So you think this is a joke?" I asked, exasperated. "Chunin are qualified to LEAD missions. The lives of your team are in your hands so you'd better be ready for it. Little panda girls don't belong here," I said, directing it mostly to the girl, who was still sitting on the floor rubbing her cheek as the guy in the jumpsuit knelt next to her to see if she was ok.

"We're just thinnin' out the herd. You won't pass anyway so go home and play with your dollies," Izumo said loftily. Then Sasuke walked up, Naruto and Sakura right behind him. My heart skipped a beat, worried that Kakashi's students would see right through my disguise.

However, my worries were for not as Sasuke told the two of us harshly, "Real nice speech. Now both of you step aside and let me through. And while you're at it, reverse the genjutsu; we can see right through it. We're going to the third floor." I smirked.

"Well, well." _Finally! A kid that noticed!_

"So you noticed the genjutsu, huh?" Kamizuki asked, reversing his jutsu. I could just faintly make out the praise in his voice. Perhaps I imagined it. Sasuke urged Sakura to tell us about noticing such an obvious trick. Though she was in her own little world, she managed to say that she saw it coming a mile away. _OK, now they're getting big for their breeches._

"Aren't we the smart ones? So you noticed an illusion. Whoop-de-friggin-do. Now let's see if you can deal with THIS!" I told them and shifted forward, aiming a kick at Sakura's face. Sasuke quickly raised his leg for a kick-block. But the guy from Panda girl's team dashed forward and blocked the both of us. _So fast? I almost didn't see him._ When it was obvious that neither of us were going to continue, he let the two of us go. I stood back with a small smile but wiped it from my face before anyone could see it and left, pretending to be miffed; Izumo was right behind me.

Once we got into the empty classroom at the end of the hall, he released his genjutsu on himself.

"Aren't you going to change back?" he asked me. I shook my head.

"Nah. I want have a little more fun first."

"We were only supposed to mess with the lower genin," he reminded me.

"Who said anything about genin?" I inquired with a smirk. He shook his head and looked through a crack in the door.

"So that's the bunch of misfits Kakashi and Guy have been going on about," he murmured.

"They passed the first test- getting their applications in. I knew Kakashi's kids would," I told him with a smile and pushed my glasses up further on my nose.

"That confident in them, huh?"

"I just know what they're capable of. Now if you'll excuse me, I have someone to play with."

Kakashi's POV

A girl walked down the hallway toward him. Kakashi didn't pay much attention because it wasn't one of his students until-

"Why hello there, Kakashi-sensei," she said and squeezed his forearm gently as her green eyes becomingly looked up at him through her lashes.

"Zury," he replied evenly.

"You are no fun! How did you know it was me?" she asked and removed her hand.

"We were on the same team for how long? I know what your presence feels like," he replied, hoping he didn't sound creepy. "So did you have a good time with Kamizuki? I see he prefers blondes," Kakashi told her a little coldly.

"Well I like that! What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded.

"I know as well as you do where you two went. People don't go in there just to stand around," he pointed out, closing his book.

"We hid to change our appearance because we- oh never mind. I don't have to explain myself to you."

"I never said you did," he retorted as Kamizuki ran up.

"Hey. I almost forgot. Here's the address. Come by whenever," he told her handing over a piece of paper then left. Shizuru pocketed the paper and stared defiantly at her friend.

"By the looks of it, I probably will be moving out soon," she told him as she released her jutsu. "Thank you ever so much for your hospitality," she continued with venom laced sweetness. Kakashi glared harshly at Shizuru as she stormed off. About to go after her, he had to stop himself because there were still his students to attend to. And with actor's timing, the trio walked up. His voice, composed as ever, belied the inner turmoil he felt and only showed the pride he felt for his students for all deciding to test themselves. Leaving them for the written part of the exam, Kakashi was then able to chase after Shizuru.

He caught up with her just outside the Academy.

"Talk to me," he demanded. _We were getting on so well..._

"No."

"As your host for the past month, I think you owe me at least an explanation," he reasoned. Shizuru stopped cold and stared at him with wide, fierce eyes.

"I owe _you_?" _Wrong choice of words._ Her chakra pressed on him heavily. _Only a few things could get her this riled up._ "Just because I-HATAKE KAKASHI, what the HELL do you think you are doing?" she shrieked as said ninja hoisted her over one shoulder. "Put me down this instant!" she demanded loudly. Ignoring her protests, fists, and feet, he carried her over to an empty training area. Finally he dropped her ass hard on the ground and sat on a nearby rock.

"Alright, continue," he told her as if he had only interrupted her to sneeze. She jumped up indignantly.

"Why did you drag me all the way out here? Were you embarrassed or afraid I might bruise your ego in front of someone you knew?" she shot at the tall ninja.

"On the contrary. I didn't want you to get embarrassed, what with the fuss you're making. You're also pushing at me and I didn't think you wanted to do that to innocent bystanders," he told her reasonably. She opened her mouth then closed it. Shizuru has a natural affinity with the chakra in and around her and it flows through her easily. Because of this, when she gets angry, she exerts a lot of her chakra involuntarily as if to push someone to step down. If she gets upset enough, it can be rather painful.

"You are being silly and, and jealous and, and stubborn! You're such a GUY!"

"Well what do you want me to be? A woman?" Kakashi retorted flatly.

"No, I want you to be open." _How much more open does she want me? It's hard enough to be aloof around her when she knows my secrets. Hell, the woman even knows my face. I can't get any more open than that._

"I am open," was all he would say.

"You are not! You're being arrogant and jealous without even taking the time of day to think I just might have been on a mission to dissuade the younger genin from taking the exams! No! You think I'm going young and blonde to make out with a temporary partner!" Kakashi cringed and wilted slightly, though part of him blamed it on the chakra being pressed on him.

"But the petting and sweet smiles...and his address with you moving out..." he trailed off, attempting to save his argument. She frowned.

"Heaven forbid he was getting a twig from my hair! We were having fun so I think I'm entitled to smile, and his apartment complex has open rooms. I just might be able to get out of your way! You're apartment isn't made for two. Which brings me to another thing! When were you going to tell me about my family?" The copy ninja blinked a few times, surprised. _That idiot told her?_

"I was waiting for the right time," he told her calmly, knowing this was a part of the argument that he could win.

"Wait for what, next year?" she shot at him, acidly.

"I actually wanted you to get settled first then to a controlled environment in case you exploded." Now it was her turn to wilt a little.

"Why would I explode? I only cried for a few minutes…" she mumbled, unaware that she had started crying again. Unsure of how she would react, Kakashi stood and hugged her tight. She didn't resist much.

"I miss them," she wept on his vest. "Just knowing they were alive and well, I didn't begrudge and was happy. I didn't have to see them. But now they're gone. Maybe if I had done like they wanted…if I hadn't gotten disowned… maybe I could've prote-" He shushed her.

"Where did you get such a big head? I'm surprised your headband still fits. You would have been slaughtered just like the rest of them. There was nothing you could have done except stand there to make yourself a target. I know it hurts, but it's in the past now, right? That's what you always say. There are no 'what ifs' or 'maybes' or 'perhaps'.' So just let it go."

"Tell me who?" she whispered, voice hardening. Kakashi's gaze softened even more.

"Not yet." After a few more minutes of weeping, she completely stopped forcing her chakra on him and wiped her eyes.

"Well?" she asked, stepping back a little. He knew what she wanted. Grudingly, even though she deserved it, he apologized. "Thank you. I still say you're dumb," she told Kakashi with a small watery grin. He sighed.

"I won't argue. Mainly because you'll try to hurt me if I do." Shizuru pushed him lightly and started walking back to the village.

"What do you mean 'try'?" she asked, pulling out her walking stick. Kakashi chuckled and took out his book, walking with her silently back to the apartment.


	8. Chapter 8

I sat up in bed and stretched. Muttering sleepily, I slipped off the bottom of the bed so not to step on Kakashi. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I trudged toward the bathroom, but my foot got caught on some cloth and I tripped. Though it would have been wiser to just land correctly- forward with my hands slapping on the ground to break the fall- I panicked and twisted. That was my mistake, though; by turning my body like that, my head bashed the corner of the low chest of drawers by the wall. I hit it hard, making the sharp edge dig deep in my head. Dizziness overtook me but then faded quickly into unconsciousness.

Kakashi's POV

A very loud thud woke Kakashi up.

"Ten more minutes, Zury," he muttered and turned over, reaching for his blanket. When he couldn't find it, he groaned and sat up. _Oh, yeah. It was hot last night so I kicked it off..._ Yawning through his mask, the ninja looked around, thinking Shizuru would still be standing over him, urging him to get up. But she wasn't. "Now where-" he muttered and stopped short, springing up. Shizuru lay on the ground, a small pool of blood forming around her head. With a quick look around to see if it was foul play, Kakashi noticed that she had only tripped. Both of their blankets were twisted on the ground by her feet; she had kicked hers off in the warm night as well.

"Great. This is just great," he muttered as he tied a nearby shirt around her bleeding would, hoping the pressure would at least slow down the blood flow. Picking her up bridal style, Kakashi awkwardly did the teleportation jutsu and appeared in front of the Konoha hospital. When he ran inside, careful about keeping her head propped up, the receptionist raised an eyebrow, blushing a bit.

"She's got a deep head wound," Kakashi told her as a few med-nins came to take his burden. Still the lady eyed him oddly.

"I always wondered what you wore to bed, Kakashi-sensei," she told the half-naked man, amused. He looked down; he was wearing nothing but boxers and a mask. "Go home and get dressed. We'll take care of her." When he hesitated, she continued, "You pacing around in your skivvies isn't going to help." He nodded slowly as disappeared went home.

When Kakashi got home, he cleaned up the blood as if someone had only spilled some water on the floor. _Sad when blood starts to mean nothing to you_. Then he got dressed with deliberate movements, thinking. Even though he knew his friend would be asleep, he made his way back to the hospital.

"Where is the lady I brought in earlier?" he asked the receptionist.

"Room 4 down that hallway," she replied, pointing her pen toward said hallway without looking up.

Shizuru's POV

I woke up with the mother of all headaches. I started to sit up and my head pounded painfully.

"Dumbass," a familiar voice commented lazily from my left.

"Shut up, pervert," I retorted from the bed as I felt the back of my head; it was mended and my hair clean.

"You know, I noticed something," Kakashi told me, "You call me a pervert because of the books I read whereas you read the same ones." I snorted.

"May I remind you those are the only books they make with raised characters at the moment? And you like the pictures. I have not had that...pleasure," I told him, choosing the diplomatic word. "They're smutty books with small romantic scenes. I focus on the romantic ones," I told him truthfully. I didn't mind the graphic scenes, but no matter how many of them I read, I would still blush. Kakashi didn't say anything for a while and I thought he might have left, so I got out of bed.

"Don't trip now," he warned.

"You're still here?" I asked and stretched my back, but got dizzy and sat back on the bed.

"I might be. You alright?"

"Just a little dizzy," I admitted. "I can't concentrate enough yet to see chakra."

"Can't you feel it though?" he asked curiously, helping me to stand again.

"This is a hospital. It's too thick with chakra to tell one thing from another. An after effect of the mystical palm technique," I explained. I stood again, this time more slowly.

"Do you need medicine?"

"No. I need a shower and clothes," I told him dryly.

"Sure. I'll go sign you out then we can get back."

"Sign me out? How long have I been here?" I asked.

"A day. 24 hours or so. Now sit. I'll be right back." Nodding, I sat back down and waited.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Taking a deep breath- I didn't know why I was so suddenly nervous- I came out of the bathroom, fully clothed, and towel drying my hair.

"Do you have anything to do today?" I asked my friend.

"No. My team has been in the Forest of Death for about 2 days now, so no lessons. Why?" I put the towel in the bathroom then sat next to Kakashi on the couch.

"How about we spend the day together?" I asked with a sweet smile and pressed my leg against his. He closed his book and turned his attention to me.

"All day? Just you and me?" I nodded. "What do you have in mind?" he asked, a light hint of amusement lacing an impassive tone.

"I don't know. What would you like to do?" I asked.

"Let's see where we end up," he responded after some consideration.

"Alright, let's go!" I said happily and jumped up then ran out the door; Kakashi followed me downstairs at his own pace.

"Eager, aren't we?" he teased.

"Yes," I replied. He seemed slightly surprised, which meant he was very surprised and naturally not letting on. "I like spending time with you," I told him happily. This was my mask; my smile for everything belied any nervousness or fear, or in this case, giddiness. My constant smile was the equivalent to Kakashi's mask. "Let's go," I said. Kakashi offered an arm by placing my hand on it, but I hesitated. Instead of taking it, I slid my hand into his and intertwined our fingers together. Trying to play it off as part of my innocent flirting, I gave him a smile with a sidelong look, one of a girl who likes what she sees, never mind not actually seeing. Honestly, I just felt like holding his hand. He squeezed my hand a little then led me through town. After a few minutes in the sunlight, I remembered something.

"Crap! I knew I forgot something!" I exclaimed and knocked my head a few times with my fist.

"What? You remembered to get dressed today...unfortunately," he remarked, teasing me about one of my childhood nightmares. _Figures he'd remember that one..._

"No, perv. I wanted to go see Kotetsu Hagane's sister the other day- she's sick- but I got...sidetracked. Then I ended up in the hospital." I turned to stand in front of him and bowed deep at the waist. "I'm so sorry! I know I said we'd spend the day together- just you and me- but this one stop? Please?" I begged, shamefaced. I had never broken my word before and I hated the dirty feeling it gave me, but a girl was sick and wouldn't go to the hospital. A gentle hand lifted my chin gently to make me stand up straight then gentle lips met my forehead in a very swift kiss.

Kakashi's POV

_Baka! How stupid can I get?_ Kakashi mentally berated himself for such a gesture as he quickly replaced his mask. He wanted to take off his forehead protector and repeatedly bang his head against the nearest wall. Shizuru stared at him, obviously fighting a heavy blush.

"Helping others like this...Uchiha was the same," the copy-ninja told her quietly, unable to say Obito's name.

"So...you're not mad?" she asked, face soft in understanding; she knew how much her friend missed Obito.

"Of course not," he told her softly, taking her hand again. It was kind of an uncomfortable silence, but they made it to the Hagane's house quickly enough. Shizuru was right- the girl WAS sick and deathly afraid of hospitals. Shizuru had her healed before the little thing could say 'believe it'. She spent a few extra minutes playing with the child then talking to Kotetsu, saying it was no problem helping his little sister.

"She just spazzes out every time she gets near a hospital, you know? And the med-nins don't make house calls. It's just her and me, so-"

"I told you not to worry about it. I like helping friends and any friend of Izumo is a friend of mine," she told him with a smile. He hugged her tightly with sound claps on the back. "You're breaking my ribs," she informed him breathlessly.

"Heh, sorry," he told her and after their farewells (and a small wave on Kakashi's part) they were back on their way.

"Thank you," she murmured.

"You're welcome. Let's go this way," Kakashi told her, leading her through the market. Recognizing the sounds, she hesitantly activated her clan jutsu. Her eyes darted, memorizing her surroundings.

"You know, things do change," he remarked lazily. She shrugged.

"Oh! Over there- a weapons stand!" Kakashi inwardly laughed. Most girls would be looking at make-up or clothes or something but no, weapons caught her eye first. Shizuru picked up a katana and studied it expertly. "It's such a fine sword," she praised the seller.

"A shinobi like you always needs a fine katana," the man told her.

"Actually, I was hoping you had tessen. The katana never really was my thing," she told him with a smile. _That's an understatement. _

"Ah, so you're the ornamental weapons type then?" Shizuru shrugged and took the offered weapon. She looked at the iron fan, examining it thoroughly.

"Blue silk," Kakashi observed aloud for his friend's benefit.

"Eight rods..spiked ends...good weight..." she murmured to herself.

"When did you learn to use it? I don't remember you using it before-"

"Some years ago," she cut in.

"Really?" he asked, skeptical. She never learned anything she didn't have a natural aptitude for unless someone held a fire under her ass.

With a small frown at her tall friend and a slight flick of the wrist, Shizuru snapped open the fan with a sharp crack and flipped it high in the air and caught it left handed behind her back, spun, making it cut through the air with a soft whistle. She spun it around her fingers then held it in front of her face, batting her eyes. The salesman laughed heartily.

"Showed you, didn't she?" he asked. Despite being impressed- the key to performing a good fan technique is having strong wrist muscles and lots of practice- Kakashi only shrugged. "Anything else?" the salesman asked. Kakashi picked out a set of shuriken and paid for them and Shizuru's tessen, to her great delight. Both of the ninja, well, mainly Shizuru, played with some of the trinkets and things at the different stands. She laughed a lot and every time she smiled at the jonin, his insides felt warm. After a market lunch, he took her down memory lane, spending time at all the places they used to hang out, like the old training grounds, the ornamental garden, and the Academy.

"Swing!" Shizuru exclaimed happily that afternoon when they got to the Academy. "Come on! I'll push you," she said with a very happy smile.

"That's alright. I'm good," he told her.

"Aw!" The petite girl looked genuinely disappointed. Kakashi sighed.

"How about I push you instead?" Shizuru eyed him suspiciously.

"You're going to push me off again."

"I won't."

"Yes you will! You and Naru and even Touda-sensei always did things like that!" Kakashi tensed slightly at the memory but forced himself to relax.

"If you'll kindly remember, I hardly ever took part in teasing you and I only pushed you off the swing once- when I was six and was told girls had cooties," he informed her. She mulled the information over.

"Oh... well…I suppose it's alright then," she decided and sat in the swing. Though feeling silly, the man pushed her. Because she was only two inches taller than Sasuke, it was almost like he was pushing one of his students on the swing. But none of them made his fingers tingle when they raked against the kid's back. It didn't take too long for Shizuru to gain enough momentum to jump from the swing and land gracefully.

"Had enough?" Kakashi asked.

"Yeah, thanks. Oh. Hi, Iruka-sensei," she said as the chunin teacher walked up. Classes were over, so he was free to socialize. Shizuru, for whatever reason, stuck out her foot at just the right moment to trip Iruka. He fell face first into Kakashi, who caught him.

"Wow. So Iruka has a boyfriend now?" Moegi asked. Shizuru laughed and sat back down in the swing, head cocked to the side so she could enjoy. Kakashi let go of his blushing friend so he could stand up straight. Iruka turned to his students and lectured them on saying things that could start rumors and hurt feelings. Kakashi didn't so much pay attention to that as he did to the woman barely containing her laughter at the mess she caused.

"Why?" the jonin asked her simply. Shizuru shrugged and got up with a wide smile.

"Later, Iruka!" she called over her shoulder. He spared a wave before going back to his lecture. Kakashi shook his head and followed her.

Shizuru's POV

"It's not often we get ladies in here," the clerk said. I wasn't surprised- this was the store that catered to the more...adult readers.

"I need the next Icha Icha Paradise book with the raised characters," I told the man, blushing a little.

"Number 4? Yes, we got those in a few days back, but we sold out. Wait, I'll go see if we have one like that in the back," he told me kindly. I nodded and turned around to see Kakashi looking frantically through the bookshelves.

"Didn't you hear? He said they were sold out, Kishi-kun."

"No. He can't be. I will find one," he told me, determined. I shrugged and the man came out with a plain book in his hand. Even with the Rykugan, I couldn't make words out. On clothes, every fold was visible, though not every detail, but words escaped me. Chakra seeps into things that don't have life or have lost life to give me the illusion of seeing everything but patterns drawn into things like cloth or paper... _Ah well_.

"Here you go. Last copy. Nobody ever buys those raised kind, so you're in luck. We will get another shipment in next week though." I paid the man and looked around for Kakashi; he was sitting in the corner, gloom all around him.

"He told you they were all gone. But you can get it next week," I told him gently. He nodded and walked out of the store, me right behind.

"Waiting isn't so bad," I told him, wondering if flirting would raise his spirits or depress him more.

"You could read to me," he suggested.

"WHAT? I-I-I couldn't do that! I just couldn't!" I protested, turning crimson from the thought of reading such a graphic book aloud to anyone, even Kakashi.

"Why not? Oh. You don't like the idea of getting all hot and bothered with me there, do you?" he taunted. I punched him really hard in the arm.

"That is not something you speak of, much less joke about," I informed him, cheeks mantled in a blush. I walked ahead quickly.

"You didn't have to hit me," he told me, unfazed, as his long legs helped him to catch up effortlessly. "And since when is that topic off limits? You never cared before." I flinched a little. _Why DO I care now? It's not all that embarrassing as a whole but...talking about THAT sort of thing with him...he basically asked if I didn't like the idea of getting off with him there! I mean, boundaries, man, boundaries!_

"I figured you would have learned some manners when I was away, but apparently I was wrong," I growled.

"Aw, don't be that way," he told me, draping his arm around my shoulder.

"Get off," I told him.

"But why?" he asked pleasantly, though complying.

"I don't want you touching me right now," I informed him coldly. "_'Right now'_? Does that mean I get to touch you later?" he asked, amusement mixed with something else in his voice. I flushed.

"Of course not!" I replied, indignant. He backed me up against a tree, trapping me there with his arms. Somehow he managed to seem intimidating, joking, and lazy at the same time.

"Are you sure about that?" he asked quietly, most of the laughter gone from his voice.

I pouted, then proclaimed, "I need an adult!" He chuckled softly.

"You're dodging the question, Zury. And I _am_ an adult."

"I am not dodging the question. And you aren't." It was getting hard to breathe now, much less banter. He was almost on top of me and speaking so softly, so closely…

"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to back away from that girl," a new voice said with authority. Kakashi backed away slowly, giving me time to breathe properly and hopefully lose the blush from my cheeks. "Oh. I didn't realize you weren't a student…Everything ok, miss?" I nodded, though wanting to smack him for confusing me with a student.

"Sorry to interrupt your fun," the man said from behind his mask.

"Don't worry about it," Kakashi informed him lazily before the ANBU went back to work.

"Now let's make one more stop then I want you to rest your eyes. After, we can get some dinner then go home." Kakashi seemed to be back to normal. I nodded and followed him, still in a bit of a mood, though. All that vanished when Kakashi showed me his last stop. He took me to the top of the Hokage statues to look at all of Konoha. The view was quite pretty, though I knew the colors would have made it all the more so. Still, it was quite special because I was with him.

"I should have brought you here when we first arrived. Welcome home," he told me, voice soft.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

"Aw, do I really have to?" I whined.

"We had an agreement. I win, you read to me. You win, I help you move into that apartment you liked today in Izumo's edition. I won, so read," he told me, voice taking a superior tone. I glared not at him, but at my right hand. -Flashback- 5 minutes ago _ "Ready? Rock, paper, scissors, shoot!" Kakashi held out rock. I had scissors._- Sighing, I sat tailor style on the bed while Kakashi stretched out on the floor with a pillow. _So embarrassing! How did he talk me into that stupid game? How, I ask you?_ I opened the book and started reading; it picked up where the last book left off- right at the beginning of a smutty scene.

"Can I skip the first chapter?" I asked, pleading.

"No. It wouldn't make sense then," Kakashi told me reasonably.

"'_Keiko,' Ren whispered before she kissed him slowly. 'Keiko, what do you want me to do?' 'Shh,' she instructed. 'Do? No. Tonight, just let me love you. You were there for me when I needed you close. Now please need me, please, just for tonight.'_"

I gulped, knowing what was coming, but kept reading aloud.

"_He ran his fingers through her dark hair, undoing her curls. She kissed his lips and trailed more kisses down his neck and collarbone." _

It got racier and racier by the sentence. I read aloud as the two characters explored one another, loving each other. It was just about to get to the 'good' part when I closed the book and set it down quickly then covered my face with Kakashi's pillow. By now I was crimson; I could actually feel the heat radiating from my face.

"I can't! I caaaan't!" I told him through the material. Kakashi actually laughed.

"You lasted longer than I thought you would." I heard him stand up and crack his back, stretching. "Never again. Never, never, never," I muttered to myself.

Kakashi whispered in my ear, "Don't say that. I like hearing those dirty scenes from your innocent mouth." I pushed him away hard, blushing even harder.

"Not the time!" I exclaimed then put the pillow down and pulled the blanket over my head. He laughed, clearly enjoying teasing me.

"I can't believe there's no pictures," he muttered after a minute. Apparently, he was flipping through my book.

"I'm blind. What use would I have for pictures?" I retorted from under my blanket.

"Good point," he admitted. He patted my head and I heard the click of the light switch going off.

"I'll help you move tomorrow," he told me, settling down for the night. I went to sleep, cursing him for making me read that aloud when he was going to help me anyway.


	9. Chapter 9

Sorry bout the hiatus. Thanks for sticking with me!

Kakashi helped me move into my new apartment. Not that it was hard, seeing as I didn't have much stuff. There were the clothes and weapons and few miscellaneous items I had brought back with me from the Land of Waves and then the few things I had bought since I came to Konoha.

"So what are you going to do about furniture? You know, a bed and the like," he asked as he followed me upstairs.

"Good question," I replied brightly.

"And we've got the answer," a familiar voice said from my doorway.

"What are you doing in there?" I asked Izumo, setting my box down in front of him and Kotetsu.

"Like my partner said, we have an answer," Kotetsu told me and led me inside my new apartment.

"Ta-da!" they said, very pleased with themselves. There was a table, chairs, and a couch in the front room and a bed and dresser in the bedroom. For men, they did a very good job matching the little bit of furniture they had placed in there.

"Where-"

"The Hokage," Izumo said with a shrug.

"When you said you were finally getting your own place and probably needed some stuff, he said we could help ourselves to the storage," Kotetsu explained.

"What do you mean 'finally'?" Kakashi asked, setting his own box down and mine inside the door.

"Oh, don't start, Kishi-kun," I told him, grinning ear to ear. "You two are the best! Thank you!" I told my friends and hugged them fiercely.

"That's what friends do, right?" Kotetsu told me, ruffling my plum hair.

"Hey!" I protested with a laugh and fixed it. _I still need to get kitchen-ware and some form of decorations for the walls, I suppose. Bathroom appliances are a must, too._ With that in mind, I thanked all three men profusely then kicked them out so I could unpack.

"Dinner at Ichiraku's is on me," I told them from the doorway.

"Are you sure you don't want help?" Kakashi asked.

"I'm sure," I told him and tapped his nose then shut the door on him.

Kakashi's POV

Kakashi walked down the stairs right behind Kamizuki and Hagane, book in hand. Kamizuki glanced back at the copy-ninja then at his friend before commented in carrying tones, "Looks like Shizuru has a thing for Kakashi." His partner smiled.

"And Kakashi has a thing for Shizuru...and it's in his pants," Hagane finished. They laughed as they dodged the multiple shuriken thrown at them.

Shizuru's POV

Two days later, July 7, I waited with the other jonin and chunin for the genin to come out of the field part of the exam. Though none were my students, I wanted to know how everyone did. Kakashi had checked with Iruka every day to see if any of the rookies had died, but so far, they were alive.

A bell sounded in the distance.

"The second exam is over," I murmured to myself and stood, stretching. "I wonder how many teams passed." I moved my fingers and disappeared with a POOF. I appeared at the arena in time to see Ibiki telling the genin to line up. The proctors and jonin team leaders were on a low stage. Being of neither group, I took to the second level to watch from there. _Seven teams of the twenty six? That's more than I expected. Good for them_. I looked over the ninja on the stage and found Iruka. He looked a little more at ease than he had yesterday. I had overheard that Iruka insisted on monitoring Team 7, worried that they'd push themselves too hard. Not that there was anything he could really do about it or anything. _It's sweet, really. He still worries so much about them like they're his little students, despite Kakashi's harsh reminder that they were his, not Iruka's._ Now, though he still seemed worried, he seemed more at peace with the idea that they weren't his anymore. They were Kakashi's as well as the other jonin. I looked over at the man- Guy was next to him, chatting away. Kakashi turned to him, apparently not having heard a word by Guy's reaction. Anko walked forward and told the genin to shut up so the Hokage could explain the rules. I didn't really listen- they were the same every year and he always explained about why the Chunin exams were held. Instead, I zoned out, letting the thoughts that had been pushed to the back of my mind come forward- the thoughts that pressed on my dreams and the waking hours when I didn't deliberately keep them at bay. _Who did it? Who was powerful enough to kill my family? Why would they do such a thing? We were a peaceful medical based clan. They HELPED people. Who could resent them for that? I mean, it's not like my family was the only one- the Uchihas were all but wiped out too. Granted, Itachi is crazy, but oh well. And why won't Kakashi tell me who it is yet? He knows and he isn't saying. I've asked him like, eight times and he just won't say! Even before he really wakes up, he wouldn't tell me when I asked because he claimed that 'Zury might hear.' Gah! And records are useless to me because I can't read them and I can't very well ask someone to read them to me and any other lead I get turns up cold...*mental sigh* And where is Touda-sensei? I haven't seen or felt him around since I've been back. And his name isn't on the KIA stone or on his family plot in the cemetery, so he isn't dead. He'd be what, 34-35 or so now? He was the youngest jonin instructor and so much fun. It would have been nice to 'meet' him again. He was always so good to me. He even took me in when I was disowned and had nowhere to go._ Shaking my head of the depressing thoughts, I went back to listening. A new man was talking to the group now. Hayate Gekko if I remembered his name right. He was a nice man, though he did seem to always be under the weather. Hayate told the genin that they would be doing a preliminary round and that if anyone who felt that they couldn't continue the exam should get out now. Three left. One, to my disappointment, was Kabuto. _How odd. He doesn't look more battered than the rest of them. And his chakra is in relatively good condition. Actually, it's in fine condition- very refined given how worn he is. That could even be jonin level control. Why is he dropping out?_ I walked down the stairs as Sasuke and Akano's names were called. They were to fight first. I ruffled Naruto's hair as he passed me and went outside. Kabuto was standing just outside the door, eyes closed. He seemed to just be enjoying the breeze.

"Feels nice, doesn't it?" he inquired.

"Yes, but I'd think becoming a chunin would feel nicer," I replied. I leaned against the wall, arms crossed loosely in front of me. He opened his eyes, turned to me, and smiled.

"Yeah, well..." he shrugged. "I just don't think I can compete with them in my condition." I raised an eyebrow.

"Your condition? You seem to be in fair condition to me," I commented, borrowing Kakashi's lazy tone.

"Why does it matter, if I may ask?" Kabuto questioned, the picture of innocence. I chuckled a little, shaking my head.

"I was just disappointed. That's all."

"That's sweet," he replied.

"You know, your chakra control is very impressive. Most ninja of your rank, it feels like a tangled mass around the body just now coming under control. But you...it's untangled, refined, and under control," I told him, taking on the lazy tone again. Kabuto's smile faltered ever so slightly but he grinned widely and laughed; I was sure I imagined the falter.

"I'm blushing, really! All this praise is going straight to my head."

"What are you up to, boy? I know you could pass this exam with flying colors if you really wanted to." He shrugged.

"I'm up to nothing. I don't think I'm ready for this. Can you fault me for that?" Grudgingly, I admitted I couldn't. I could feel someone watching. A chill ran down my spine. _I need to get back inside where there's people._ I hated feeling vulnerable. Having other ninja around was like having a wall to my back so I couldn't get blindsided.

"You're up to something and I'm going to have fun trying to figure it out," I told him and held out my hand. "Now be a good little genin and walk me inside," I told him with a playful smile. He laughed and did as asked.

"Of course, Mother." _He plays so innocent, but what is he really thinking? The boy is a smart one, I'll give him that. I like it. I hope he'll be as much fun as I'm making him out to be. If he bores me, I'll be very sad._

"Lion's Barrage!" Sasuke shouted.

"Impressive," I murmured as I let Kabuto lead me up the stairs to where Kakashi, Sakura, and Naruto were standing, intent on the fight. With a quick farewell, Kabuto left to watch with his teammates. _His voice is glossy and polished, with only as much warmth as he needs for whatever moment. He's been trained very well. It seems that Kakashi and I aren't the only ones with masks._

"Victor: Sasuke Uchiha," Hayate announced. I looked down at the arena. Sasuke had indeed won by knockout, but he was about to topple over himself. Kakashi appeared behind him and kept him in a sitting position by supporting him with his leg. Because he was in an easy position and reading his book, it made Sasuke's injuries seem less crucial. Kakashi looked from me to his other two students meaningfully and I nodded. He wanted me to keep an eye on Sakura and Naruto. _Are the boy's injuries that bad? I feel an odd chakra from him, but I thought it was residue from an attack. He'll be ok. After all, Kakashi didn't ask for help and I know he can handle things just fine._ Everyone was silent. They were waiting for the next set of names to appear on the screen. I didn't bother looking because it would have just been pointless.

"What? Shino and Zaku! I wanted my turn!" Naruto complained. "You'll get your turn soon enough, kiddo. What will come, will come," I told him with a warm smile as I ruffled his hair again. But I wasn't interested in the fight. An idea was forming in my mind but I needed Kakashi to get back so I could leave. _Where is that man? He'd better hurry up whatever he's doing before I lose track of Kabuto._

Kakashi's POV

Kakashi just finished writing the sealing characters on Sasuke's body around the curse mark then asked if he was ready. Taking his silence as the go ahead, he activated the sealing jutsu. The boy screamed in pain but the man ignored it. There would be a hell of a lot more pain if they let the curse go unchecked.

"Remember, the seal is only as strong as your will. It takes its power from it. If you falter, there is nothing I can do," the sensei warned before the boy passed out. _Still such a child. He almost looks peaceful when he sleeps._ A cold presence made Kakashi turn. Orochimaru was there, smiling sadistically. The two bantered a little until the sanin informed Kakashi that Sasuke was a valuable piece in his chess game- not like his expendable pawns in the exam. The copy-ninja's nerves were on fire, demanding him to take action to protect the unconscious boy behind him. Orochimaru advanced, slowly coming closer. Kakashi's body reacted, hands forming his signature jutsu- the chidori.

"Don't come closer! Or one of us will die here," he threatened savagely. Orochimaru laughed at him and defiantly took a few more steps before he stopped.

"Do you really think that seal will hold? That you can keep him? He's an avenger and he'll come to me," the sanin taunted. Kakashi sneered behind his mask.

"I won't let you take advantage of that." Orochimaru chuckled.

"Sooner or later..." he informed the leaf ninja and turned to leave. He was halfway to the door when he looked back at the protector. "Unless you make good on your threat to kill me. Now's your chance." He was trying to provoke an attack. But he was leaving and Kakashi lost his nerve. He deactivated the jutsu.

"I thought not," Orochimaru said pleasantly and was gone. Kakashi stood there, staring and trembling. _'One of us will die here'? I must have been outta my mind!_ he thought to himself. Shaking his head at his own folly, he picked up Sasuke and took him to the infirmary, placing him under ANBU guard.

Shizuru's POV

Shino won against Zaku by blocking the wind tunnels in the man's arms using bugs. _Aburame. I had forgotten about that clan's...special abilities. Bad Shizuru. You know better than that._ Kakashi appeared on my left and I looked at him. _Took you long enough!_

"Hi," he greeted pleasantly. Sakura rounded on him.

"Is that all you can say? How's Sasuke?" Her teacher smiled through his mask.

"He's fine- asleep in the infirmary. No need to worry," he informed her. I frowned slightly then moved right next to him and held my hand open at my side.

"You're shaking like a leaf," I murmured to him. Kakashi glanced at my open hand and knew what I wanted. Casually, he moved his hand to mine and moved it in code, slow enough for me to make out what he was saying. _'Sanin. Curse mark. Sealed. ANBU guard_.' _Only Orochimaru would put a curse mark on a child, much less anybody_. I looked up at Kakashi, eyebrows furrowed. He confirmed my thoughts- Orochimaru was back. With a small shake of my head, I moved away then slowly into the shadows. Everybody intent on the next fight- Kankuro vs. Doza- no one noticed me. Taking a deep breath, I moved my hands in the proper jutsu.

"Guitai," I muttered, taking careful aim. A split second later, I was looking through a totally new set of eyes. I opened and closed my hands to get a feel of the new body. _I was right. Kabuto is the perfect body for something like this. Those ninja from the Land of Waves were nothing. I'd better hurry though. I like Kabuto and I know this is going to be painful for him._ I turned to leave but one of his teammates questioned where I was going. I smiled.

"Can't a guy go to the restroom without being interrogated?" Kabuto's voice inquired pleasantly. His teammate nodded and I walked away. As soon as I was out of sight, I ran for the records room. _Kabuto's father is some big shot at the hospital. If anyone questions me, I can just say I'm getting a file for him._ Slowing down, I entered the records room like I belonged there. It was empty though. Even better. Quickly, I ran my fingers across the files, looking at the bindings for indication. Finally, I found one. Removing the file from its place, I opened it with trembling fingers.

"Blah blah blah...'the Kuichis were attacked in May' blah blah 'but the attacker is unknown.' Shit," I murmured using Kabuto's stolen voice and put it back. I went back to searching for information about my old teacher when someone entered. It was a long haired chunin that identified himself as Maharu. I hadn't heard of him.

"So what are you doing in here?" he asked, dark green eyes seeming only curious.

I put a hand to the back of my head and replied sheepishly, "The atmosphere getting too intense so I stepped out." An idea hit me. "Then I came here to find out about someone a friend of mine mentioned."

"Really? Who?" I put my arm down to push up the glasses that were slipping down my nose. _I really don't like glasses_.

"Touda Hatsunitta," I replied.

"Why would you want to know about him?" Maharu inquired.

"My friend said that he was the youngest jonin to be an instructor. 18 to be exact." The chunin nodded.

"Yes, but your friend also mention he is a missing nin?" My heart skipped a beat and I almost lost the jutsu.

"Mi-missing nin?" I repeated, unbelieving.

"Yeah. He had something to do with going traitor or something. I can't really remember the details though. And they won't be recorded either. Not where we can access them," he told me when I opened my mouth. Instead, I closed it and nodded.

"Thank you," was all I said and left, running as soon as I was out of sight. Once I got to the boy's restroom, I released the jutsu. It took about five seconds, but those would be agony for the boy, even compared to the intense pain of me taking over in the first place. Feeling bad, I took small comfort in that I didn't violate his thoughts in return for letting me use his body unknowingly. _I'm too soft_, I thought to myself and disappeared before Kabuto got his bearings. In a slight daze, I went to sit in the school office, knowing no one would be there to bother me from the disturbing thoughts of my old teacher.

Kakashi's POV

About halfway through Sakura's match with Ino, the girls took their kid gloves off and got serious. Naruto wondered aloud why they got so worked up just looking at one another. _He just can't see that he's the same way with Sasuke,_ Kakashi thought, amused.

"Well, rivalry is a tricky business. Not that I would know," he told the boy. Guy looked over and Kakashi wondered if he overheard. "Oh, hi there," the copy ninja told him pleasantly, but Guy turned back to the fight. It was almost a hobby of Kakashi's to get on his nerves. And the best way to do that was to ignore him. Yes, he did find Guy's self-proclaimed rivalry ridiculous, but it presented the chance to burn him up. Nothing better to do anyway, right? Kakashi went back to watching the fight.

"Amazing. I've never seen Sakura this serious, this good before," Kakashi mused aloud.

"Wait!" Naruto said. "Are you saying that she's better than me?" he demanded.

"Oh no, Naruto. You're the greatest," his teacher replied, voice dripping with sarcasm. _Sakura is sending perfectly controlled chakra throughout her body and using it in perfectly junctioned jutsus. Sasuke couldn't have done better._ The girls bickered for a little bit then Ino lost it and cut her hair off. Kakashi turned to get input from Shizuru, but she wasn't there. _Oh that's right. She left a while back, didn't she. I wonder where she ran off to._

A few minutes later, Kakashi was on the arena floor again, picking up his student. Ino had used her mind transfer jutsu and tried to make Sakura forfeit but Naruto's shouts brought Sakura around. They ended in a taijutsu knockout on both sides. Asuma set his student next to Sakura against the wall upstairs. _Despite her success with Naruto and Sasuke, I didn't think she had what it takes. She's grown a lot. She may not have done as well as she liked, but a lot of good happened here. I feel it was the right choice to send her to these chunin exams_.

Shizuru's POV

(Flashback) _ "Aw! Come on, sensei! I don't wanna!" I complained, holding the katana. _

"_You're going to have to learn sometime. Might as well now," Touda told me sternly. _

"_But-" _

"_No buts. Get over it. And you're holding it wrong again. Fix your hands like this," he told me and rearranged my grip from behind. I tried the butterfly sweep again but the sword twisted in my hands and I lost control of the attack, sending the sword flying past my teacher. _

"_GRRR! I GIVE UP!" I announced angrily and turned to leave. _

"_You disappoint me," Touda told my quietly, but I stalked off anyway._ (End flashback)

"Well, you disappoint me, too." Sighing, I went back to the arena, glad to have had a quiet place to organize my thoughts. Now that I came to terms with my former sensei being a missing nin, I could go back to the others with my 'mask' on.

"Where have you been?" Kakashi asked when I walked up and leaned against the rail.

"Oh, just a walk," I replied offhandedly.

"You got lost again, didn't you?" I made myself wince and look sheepish.

"Maybe," I lied, not wanting him to know what I had been up to. "What did I miss?"

"Kankuro won against Doza. Temari beat TenTen, Ino and I had a draw, and Shikamaru beat Kin. Now we're waiting for the next match," Sakura informed me, though she was facing the screen. "Naruto and Kiba," she told me. From chakra alone, the two seemed evenly matched. Of course, I would root for Naruto. Once they got in the arena together, they bantered a bit then Naruto complained that Kiba's dog shouldn't be allowed in the ring. I shook my head. _Grasping at threads._ When Hayate ruled that the dog was legal, Naruto insisted that he worked best with a handicap. Then the match started. Kiba was fast. Deadly fast. He used the Beast mimicry: all fours jutsu and got Naruto on the ground on the first run by. Laughing, he told the proctor that the boy would be out for a while. Sakura gasped and looked at her sensei for conformation. Kakashi chuckled. His laugh sent butterflies through my stomach. _What the hell is with that? He chuckles and I get all flustered. This is not how it's supposed to work,_ I mentally berated myself and went back to watching the match. Kiba was walking away when Naruto slowly stood, ordering Kiba never to underestimate him.

"I just wanted to see what you've got and frankly, you hit like an old woman. You'd do a better job if you sent that puppy after me," Naruto told him. Kiba got VERY angry.

"Shouldn't have insulted the dog, kid," I murmured.

"You're going to regret that!" Kiba yelled and threw a smoke grenade.

"Told ya," I said. Kiba was attacking him inside the smoke cloud at incredible speed and when Naruto stumbled out, the dog attacked him. He fell back into the smoke. What I saw intrigued me greatly, as I was able to see what was going on through the smoke because of their chakra. _Keep it to yourself. Don't spoil the show,_ I instructed myself. The smoke cleared and Naruto was on the ground. The little dog ran to its master...and bit his arm.

"Akamaru? What-?" The dog changed into Naruto, or rather, Naruto changed back from being the dog- Naruto's clone was holding onto the real dog.

"So he can balance a transformation jutsu and a clone jutsu. Very nice work, Kakashi-sensei," I praised him.

"I do what I can," he replied haughtily, "and he does the rest," he finished seriously. _He's so proud! How adorable!_ "He's gone to a higher level just during this match," Kakashi went on, though more to himself. Kiba gave Akamaru a food pill, which turned him red and MEAN. Then Kiba took one himself, increasing his chakra at least twofold.

"He already fights like he's feral. Does Naruto still stand a chance against those food pills?" I asked my friend quietly.

"We'll see," he replied, intent on the match. The boy used his beast mimicry again, though this time, he transformed his dog into a lookalike of himself. Now there were 2 Kibas and it was difficult even for me to tell the difference. They attacked and Naruto did a back handspring to dodge, though he wasn't fast enough and got clipped. The Kibas were vicious and never gave the boy time to counter attack. Hell, it was hard enough for him to stay balanced. When the Fang over fang jutsu was used on your little genin, you were afraid that he was down for the count. But no. He proclaimed that he WILL be Hokage. Kiba teased him, saying that he would be Hokage, not Naruto, and laughed. The chakra around Naruto flared, making me gasp.

He stood and said, "You can forget about being Hokage cause I'm top dog around here!" I cheered. _Why can't all the fights be this interesting. These two just keep me guessing!_ Kiba and Akamaru attacked again with their fang cyclone jutsu and Naruto was able to dodge most of the blow, but not all of it. Kiba threw another smoke grenade and did the fang jutsu a few more times. Naruto did another genjutsu and I laughed in glee. _So smart! Way to go, Naruto_! Sakura looked back at me and complained that she couldn't see.

"What's going on?" Kakashi told her to wait, knowing Naruto was up to something. I wasn't sure if he was using his Sharingan to see through the smoke. Actually, I wasn't even sure it could do that. I knew it could analyze and copy jutsus and hypnotize people, but that's about all I remembered. The smoke cleared again. This time there were three Kibas. I clapped again from sheer joy.

"How fun!" The real Kiba sniffed each of the other two and punched one very hard.

"I can smell ya kid. There's just no fooling my nose!" he said. _Of course. With his beast mimicry jutsu up, his nose is a thousand times stronger. Poor Naruto. And it was such a clever idea._ But Naruto had the frame of mind to transfer into a beat up Akamaru instead of back to himself. Kiba growled and punched the other one REAL hard. "So it's YOU! Messing with me!" This Kiba turned into Akamaru as well. The first one turned back to Naruto and kicked Kiba.

"He second guessed himself. Never second guess your instincts, Sakura. They're usually right," I told her.

"Yes, ma'am."

Naruto taunted Kiba from a slight distance, "A smart shinobi is careful of how he uses his jutsu. Otherwise it comes back and bites him in the butt!" Kakashi wilted slightly into a sulk.

"Hey, that's my line. Sort of."

"Aw. It's ok. You should be flattered. It's a good line," I comforted him, tucking back a smile to try to seem sympathetic. With a sigh, he went back to watching. _Kiba has calmed down now, Naruto. What's your next move?_ As Kiba drew his shuriken, Naruto said it was time to unveil something secret he'd been saving.

"My super secret killer move!" He dodged the stars and Kiba came at him again and socked him. The boy was too fast- Naruto couldn't make a hand sign or build up his chakra. After getting socked a few more times to the face, Naruto was able to throw him into the wall but got socked again anyways, falling heavily to the floor. "I absolutely will not lose. Time to use my new technique!" he said. Kiba got behind him and Naruto farted. I raised an eyebrow.

"Are you serious?"

"Who said Naruto ran out of gas? The poor guy's jutsu led him right into it," Kakashi commented.

"And with his nose a thousand times stronger...Ouch," I said, shaking my head.

"I wonder if that was his new move. He always was unpredictable," Kakashi mused.

"Whatever works, Naruto!" Sakura cheered. Naruto looked a little sheepish- he hadn't planned it- and did his shadow clone jutsu, making 5 of him. The real Naruto launched himself into the air while his clones kicked Kiba up. Naruto used a down kick to Kiba's head.

"Uzumaki's barrage!" I snorted.

"Hmm, a new technique? I'd say he picked that up from Sasuke. At least he changed the name...sort of," Kakashi said, amused. Kiba was out cold. The proctor declared Naruto the winner and Kakashi chuckled, sending the butterflies through my stomach again. _Ignore it, ignore it, ignore it,_ I told myself firmly. As Naruto ran up the stairs all happy, Kiba was led away on a stretcher.

"Good job, Naruto. I'm very proud," I complimented him, ruffling his hair as he used some healing ointment a girl had given him.

"Thanks, Shizuru-san. It means a lot coming from you," he said.

My eyes started to sting and my vision swam, making me dizzy. _Damn it! I was sure I'd have longer than this. I guess it was because I borrowed Kabuto's body. Even though I'm not using my own chakra to fuel my jutsu for my eyes, they're wearing out for today. I'd better release it,_ I thought miserably and did so. I wanted to watch the next match- two Hyugas were going to duke it out- but at the moment, that proved impossible. I settled for listening, but to be honest, it bored me. I already knew the victor before the match started. And sure enough, I was right- Neji won. Even though he was of the outer house of the family, he was a lot stronger and had refined his chakra a good deal more than his cousin. Then Rock Lee and Gaara of the Desert were supposed to fight. I wanted to see that one more than any other. Both had looked so promising and Gaara sent chills down my spine. He interested me. My own chakra dwindling, I casually brushed my arm against Kakashi's by 'accident' and borrowed a little of his chakra.

"Rykugan," I murmured. A horrible pain erupted in my head and I hit the floor, unconscious.


	10. Chapter 10

Sorry for the delay, everyone!

/

Kakashi's POV

A loud thump turned Kakashi's attention from Gaara and Lee's fight to the people beside him. Shizuru was on the floor; she seemed to have just dropped down there.

"Uh, Zury?" he asked, squatting down next to her, unsure of what was going on. Sakura and Naruto were looking at her with wide eyes.

"Wha-what happened, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked. "She just fell over!" The sensei felt for her pulse and examined her face.

"She just passed out. Idiot probably over-exerted herself. Again," he told them in a half reassuring and half annoyed tone. _But her limit is usually 12 hours. This hasn't even been a fourth of that. What really happened?_ he wondered, though keeping his thoughts to himself so not to worry his students.

"Will you two be alright? I'll just take her to the infirmary," Kakashi said.

"Sure thing, sensei!" Naruto told him with thumbs up. Picking his friend up from the ground, Kakashi thought to put her in a fireman's hold but thought better of it. _Her eyes are completely bloodshot. She doesn't need any more blood rushing to her head_. Instead, he held her bridal style and Sakura giggled.

"What's so funny?" Naruto asked her.

"They're so cute!" she told him. Kakashi ignored them on purpose and left, thinking his student was just being her usual girly self.

"You really are an idiot, you know?" he murmured to her sleeping body before going back to the match. One of the main reasons other ninjas watched the chunin exams was to see the techniques of ninjas from other countries. For example, the Sand ninjas were proving to be quite informative and more than interesting. And this match was even more intense because Guy had taught his student how to open five of the eight inner gates. Kakashi couldn't believe he would do such a thing to one so young. Even Kakashi had to wait until he was older to learn to open the first few. It wasn't until Gaara nearly killed Lee and won the match that he left Sakura to go check on Sasuke; Naruto was on the ground with the rest of the genin going on to the next round.

Kakashi found Kabuto hovering over Sasuke as the boy breathed rapidly into his oxygen mask. Kakashi quietly walked in, not making a sound. The next he knew, a scalpel was hurled at him, though he caught it with ease.

"Well, well, Kakashi. Foiling my attack by striking from my blind spot," Kabuto commented with amusement. "But now are you ready to take me on? Next time, you should station at least 10 guards," he challenged, still facing Sasuke. _The ANBU black ops unit I assembled was defeated so easily!_

"You're no ordinary genin, are you? You got a whiff of me and readied your weapon. Quite impressive," Kakashi told him, grudgingly meaning it.

"You overestimate me," Kabuto said with mocked modestly.

"So what do you want with Sasuke? Finding you like this, I outta haul you in for questioning."

"What, just you?" Kabuto asked with a smirk as he turned around to face the copy ninja. "I wonder if you could." Kakashi's body tensed even more.

"Are you looking to take me on? I know who you are. You're the Leaf medical corp. chief's son. You're name, what was it? Kabuto Yakushi. What are you, one of Orochimaru's puppets?" he asked tightly. It was a harsh accusation, but he knew something major was off with him. Kabuto sneered as he pushed up his glasses.

"Even if you did take me into custody, you'd never be able to prove I had any connection to him." Kakashi demanded that he answer the question.

"And if I say no?" he asked haughtily.

"I'm the one asking the questions," the jonin snapped. "Now give me some answers."

"Look, you'll have your answers soon enough, even if I'm not here," Kabuto said with an uncaring air. "So why don't we skip the middle man and let me go?" Kakashi sneered behind his mask.

"You smart-aleky little brat. I'll teach you to mess around with grown-ups," he told the young man darkly, branching his kunai. Kabuto chuckled.

"Come on, give me a break. Don't be so arrogant," he told Kakashi as he readied his own kunai. _Who's calling whom arrogant?_ "The cards are clearly in my favor here," he went on as he moved his curved kunai to Sasuke's throat. The breath caught in Kakashi's lungs. _Oh, god._ But at the same time he thought it, he noticed that the young man was nervous; sweat dripped down his face but it was decidedly cool in the room. He tightened his grip on his blade so Kakashi reacted, lunging for him with lightening speed. Kabuto reacted as well and raised his arm to stab the defenseless student. Kakashi knocked the kunai from his hand as Kakashi swiveled so his right leg could kick the traitor's right side. At the same time Kakashi used his left arm to pull his right leg out from under him. Using Kabuto's momentum against him, he fell to the floor and the copy ninja sat on his back, holding the young man's left arm behind him with his kunai poised at the neck. To Kakashi's irritating surprise, an ANBU guard got up and ran for the door. _I should have known._ Quickly, Kakashi created a clone that appeared outside the door to block his way. He got off the now inanimate Kabuto and blocked the guard's way from his other side. The jonin and his clone closed in on him as he looked back and forth. But another ANBU jumped up and escaped through the window. Rushing to look, the jonin saw as the ANBU withdrew his mask to reveal a smirking Kabuto as he fell through the air. _Damn! I can't believe I let him escape._ A thump made him turn around; the first ANBU had fallen and his clone disappeared.

"Impressive," Kakashi muttered as he felt "Kabuto's" body. _Just as I suspected. A dead soul jutsu. Being raised as the adopted son of the chief of the med corp. is a powerful asset of his. If it turns out that someone as good as him works for Orochimaru, I've got to work harder._ Muttering darkly, he went to check on Shizuru. His heart stopped.

She was gone.

_Damn it. Kabuto doesn't have a reason to take her. Does that mean that _he's_ back? If he's so much as touched her…_ he thought murderously as he ran down the hallway.

Shizuru's POV 15 minutes before above scene with Kabuto

I woke up in a bed that wasn't mine. _What the hell? Ah, buggar. I overdid it again, didn't I?_

"Great. I hope I didn't miss too much of that match. I really wanted to know what happened," I muttered to myself. I hopped out of bed and pulled out my walking stick then went to find out where I was because I definitely wasn't at home. "Hello-ooo," I called and waited for a response.

"Miss Imamura? You should be lying down," a young lady's voice informed me.

"Why? Where am I, anyway?" I asked, trying to keep the annoyance from my voice- I didn't like not knowing what was going on.

"You're at the hospital. According to your ah, 'friend', you just passed out."

"Friend?" I asked, not liking the insinuating tone she used for the unknown person.

"The same one that brought you in last time. Kakashi-sensei," she replied, obviously surprised.

"My side affects?" I inquired, diagnosing myself just to be sure.

"You were out for fifteen minutes or so and your eyes are bloodshot. None, other than that," she replied slowly. _That's it? Worry-wart._

"Oh. Well, I'm going now," I told her with a wave.

"But-"

"Bye!" I called and found someone to show me the exit. "What I need is a nice, long bath. Water always did help with my recoveries. And what better place for that than a bathhouse?" I asked myself merrily. _Heh heh, Kakashi is going to kill me when he finds me gone. Well that's what he gets for checking me into a hospital without my say-so. I'd have been fine if he left me alone. And what's with that nurse referring to us like that? The way she danced around the word 'friend' was like she was calling us lovers and mocking us at the same time. Even if we were lovers, it'd be nothing to make fun of- we're both adults. What's her deal?_ After a long walk and many stops for precise directions, I arrived at the bathhouse and settled in for a relaxing time.

Half an hour later, I got out, towel clinging to my body. My eyes felt better, just like the rest of my body. I didn't know or care how a bath would always make me feel better and rejuvenate me to the point of bursting with energy. Maybe I absorbed natural chakra being surrounded by the water in such a vulnerable state. _Maybe if I took my family's training, I would know. Whatever. _But again, I didn't care. One of the ladies in the water told me that my eyes weren't bloodshot anymore but didn't mention where the clothing room was. I felt my way along the walls. _Seriously. Where are my clothes?_ I wondered, not about to even try to use my eyes for at least another day yet. _I think it's through here..._ It was cooler through the door I went through but I was still able to feel warmth on my skin as if it were..._Sunlight?_

"Heh heh. Hey baby!" a warm, robust voice said to me.

"EEP!" I squeeked and ran back inside the bathhouse. _WRONG DOOR!_

"Aw, don't be that way, Kiuchi!" he called after me.

"Wait, I know that voice," I murmured to myself and stuck my head out the doorway. "Jiraiya-sama?" I asked.

"The one and only!" he replied, happy I hadn't completely run away.

"You remember me?" I asked, very surprised as I tightened my towel around me just in case.

"Of course I remember you. How could I not with a rack like yours?" I gave him my flattest look.

"Nice to know you remember what counts," I told him dryly, "I'm going now." Ignoring the toad-sage's complaints, I did just that.

Ten minutes later, I managed to find my way out and found that Jiriaya was still there, peeping no doubt.

"It's Imamura now," I told him. He chuckled, not paying attention, then asked me to repeat myself. I complied. He said he didn't care so long as I didn't change my body then invited me out for a drink. If he wasn't a sanin, I might've hit him. "Yeah, that's ok, you pervy old man. I'm going home now. Don't get caught," I warned and left, finding my way with the help of my stick. Happy I wasn't going to tattle on him, he went back to being the peeping tom.

When I got home, I found the door already open.

"That's odd," I murmured and drew my kunai as I went in slowly, listening. Someone was in there, opening and closing doors quickly and rather loudly. Footsteps got louder and I tensed, but the presence was familiar- I recognized the chakra.

"Zury!" Strong arms wrapped around me and my cane clattered to the ground.

"What's wrong, Kishi-kun?" I asked, pretending to be confused. I knew very well I had worried him. But he was so cute when he was worried!

"Why did you do that?" he demanded, holding me at arm's length with a tight grip.

"Do what?" I asked, batting my eyes.

"You disappeared from the hospital without a word! You were gone! I would have been there shortly. I thought that…" I frowned. This was rather paranoid of Kakashi. And his voice was a little shaky.

"What happened? What did you think?" I asked, serious. He hesitated. "_Kakashi_," I said reproachfully.

"Sasuke was attacked a while after I took you in."

"Is he ok? What happened? Who was it?" I asked quickly, wondering what Sasuke's attack had to do with me.

"Yes, yes, he's fine. His name is Kabuto Yakushi. I think he is one of Orochimaru's assassins. What's the matter? You're pouting like you wanted something to happen to Sasuke."

"No, but now I know what's different about Kabuto. I wanted to figure it out for myself."

"Nice to know you have your priorities in order," he commented then realized he was still holding on to me. Clearing his throat, he let go and stepped away; I found that I missed the feeling of his urgent hands. "So, um, where were you?"

"Out," I told him, deciding that if he was going to withhold information, I would as well.

"'Out'? Wow. I didn't think to check there," he said sarcastically. I attempted a half smile.

"Yeah, well, you know." He snorted and patted my shoulder as he walked past me, arms a little tense.

"Sorry to ruin your fun," he told me. There was still an edge to his voice.

"Hey, Kakashi?"

"Hm?"

"Thanks for worrying about me," I whispered, a little embarrassed.

"Sure thing," he replied gently from the door. "Oh, would you mind giving Sasuke a boost soon? I'm supposed to train him for the last part of the exam and we need to get to work." I frowned slightly. _Well, he didn't ask me to heal the boy; he knows I might not be able to. And what was he so worried about? What's he keeping from me? Oh well. If he doesn't want to tell me, then there's no way I'm going to know._

"Just a boost? Yeah, I can do that...So you'll be going to the old training ground? Your little rock climbing area?"

"Perhaps," he replied evenly. _That means 'yes.'_

"And you'll be gone the whole month then?"

"Most likely," he replied. "Why? You going to miss me?" he teased. His voice was back to normal now.

"What? Of course not. You're the one that's going to be pining for me," I told him with a wink. He chuckled.

"What are you talking about? It will be like a vacation." I stuck my tongue out at him but laughed anyway.

"Whatever. I could be saying that to you. It will be great without you ragging me all the time! Ha ha ha!" I picked up my tessen from my dresser and went to the door where Kakashi was still standing. Givning him a friendly swat on the butt with my fan, I told him to lock up my apartment when he was done playing around.

The next day, around early afternoon, I was called in with the rest of the chunin and jonin to see the Hokage.

"You know what this is about, Iruka?"

"No. But I don't like it," he murmured. I nodded.

"Something's up and it isn't good," I murmured back from my sitting position next to him. Finally, the old man spoke.

"Some of you may not yet have heard the news. The body of Hayate Gekko was found near Kikyo Castle." _Hayate? The lead proctor at the third exam prelims? But I liked him! He did such a good job, overseeing the matches with calm and cool judgment. I heard he was amazing with the katana, too. Poor man._

"Hayate?" Asuma remarked, astounded.

"He-he's dead?" Kuranai asked, unbelieving. Even Ibiki, the interrogation chief, couldn't believe it. Anko insisted that it was Orochimaru's doing.

Kakashi replied to her from my left, "As likely as that may seem, let's not jump to conclusions just yet. We think Hayate was on the trail of a Sound village spy named Kabuto." I frowned slightly, not liking that Kabuto might have had something to do with this, though I knew him to be a spy. "No doubt that Orochimaru is up to something, but we don't know for sure that-" Raido Namiashi cut him off.

"Well I say we cancel the Chunin exams." _He's the one with the big scar across his left cheek. Pretty serious guy. And this complication definitely hasn't helped his mood._

"No I think not. You see, Orochimaru revealed himself to Anko and warned her not to cancel the exams," the Hokage told him. _Figures._ "These exams have brought together ninja from every allied nation," he went on. One of the two council members, the male, spoke next.

"What do you think it means?" he asked, addressing the Hokage.

"There are two things we know about him: that he bears an abiding grudge against our Hidden Leaf Village and his power is great- great enough to crush a village on his own. Certainly great enough for every village to prefer to have him on their side rather than against them." I sighed. _This is bad. I wish I could remember him though. No female could forget Jiriya, no matter how hard she tried, but Orochimaru...he left a creepy impression, but nothing else. I don't know his jutsu or attack style, nothing! Little help I'll be as of now._ Raido spoke up again.

"Impossible! No village in the alliance would betray another. And showing forces with that _fiend_," he spat angrily. I shook my head at his naivety.

"Well, the alliance treaty is only as binding as any verbal agreement," I told him, looking in his vague direction.

"As we found out during the last great ninja war," Kakashi put in sadly.

"In any case, until we are able to find out more, this is only speculation," the Hokage said firmly. The second council member finally spoke, a female this time.

"We dispatched ANBU black ops to every village to collect information. We would be fools to act too hastily. That might just be what our enemy is aiming for."

"And besides," Hokage said, drawing out a long silence. "I have complete trust in every one of you," he said with conviction. "When and if the time comes, we will gather the strength of the Hidden Leaf Village and fight if we must." It was a dismissal and everyone knew it. Quietly, I left, as did everyone else.

A hand caught mine just outside the door and my heart skipped a beat.

"Yes?" I asked the gray haired jonin.

"Can you boost Sasuke now? We need to get to work," Kakashi murmured to me, voice unreadable. I nodded then vanished.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

"Alright, Sasuke. Let's see if I can still do this," I murmured over his sleeping body. The boy's injuries weren't so bad anymore- I could actually heal those if I set my mind to remembering how to do it. But what he really needed was pure energy. Anything he had left was being used to heal his body and left him totally drained. I put my left hand on the boy's abdomen and pointed my right fore- and middle-fingers at the window. There I had left a burning torch perched upright in the ground. _The Uchihas are known for their fire jutsus, so what better energy to boost him with?_ Pulling energy from the fire's chakra, I used my body to channel it to Sasuke's. His heart rate and breathing became regular and warmth was coming back to his body. _Might as well. Wouldn't want him to think I was doing a shoddy job_, I thought bitterly and allowed the chakra to heal what was left of his wounds, seeing as they weren't too bad. Sasuke groaned so I removed my hand and smiled. "How ya doing, sleepy head?" I asked brightly.

"Fine," he replied and my shoulders slumped.

"Only 'fine'? I put a good deal of work into you, you know?" I asked, pretending to be hurt.

"I'm just as well as I was before I went into the Forest of Death. Happy now?" he replied.

"Yes. Get your things together and I'll get you to your training ground."

"Will you be training me?" he asked, surprise evident in his voice as he picked up a bag that had some of his stuff in it; someone had brought him his things for when he woke up.

"Psh. Me train somebody? As if I could or would. No. Kakashi-sensei is going to meet you at his old training spot. Now move it or lose it, kid. Out the window. They don't know you're going anywhere and they'll kill me if they find out what I did," I told him as we slipped outside.

"What _did_ you do? And why is there a torch with colorless flames outside my window?"

"Don't ask questions. I don't feel like explaining myself," I told him and ran, knowing he'd be right behind me.

About 45 minutes later, I had Sasuke on top of one of the many plateaus outside the forest where the village was hidden.

"He'll be here shortly. If I remember right, Kakashi-sensei usually times himself an hour to climb this thing."

"An hour?" Sasuke asked skeptically.

"He does it with only one hand. I don't know. It's his little tradition. One I should have had you do, but if you don't tell, neither will I." I put my hand to the ground and felt for Kakashi's familiar chakra. "He'll just barely make his time limit. That gives you 15 minutes. Be good...and don't die," I told him cheerfully then vanished.

Kakashi's POV

Kakashi worked on getting up the rocky side of the tallest plateau. As usual, he only used his right hand, the left having been tied behind his back. The further up he got, the harder it was. _Why is this so much harder than it used to be? I must be getting out of shape. Time's almost up._ When he placed his foot firmly on the next ledge, it gave way and crumbled, leaving him dangling by a few fingers. Kakashi took a deep breath to help his stomach, which just dropped a few feet by the feel of it. His fingers started to slip. _That's an awful long way down._ Closing his eyes, he focused on the first gate- the gate of opening. _OPEN! _A surge of strength enabled him to push off with only those two fingers and send him upward a good 10 feet or so to latch onto the rock there. A shadow appeared in front of him. Looking up, he saw that it was Sasuke.

"What's up?" he asked. Kakashi's expression softened.

"Look who finally showed up," the sensei told him, smiling slightly at the joke. Pulling himself up the last few feet, he tried to make it look effortless. "Now Sasuke," he started as he unbound his left hand. "I don't want you to be worrying or thinking about the competition, your teammates, whatever. I want you entirely focused on training because that's the only way we're going to be ready." Sasuke smirked.

"I'm always focused. When have I done otherwise?" The jonin chuckled.

"Then let's begin."

Shizuru's POV

Bored, I went to see if Iruka needed some help with his class. Or just if he'd tolerate me bothering him. But his classroom was empty.

"Huh?" I asked and went out of the room. One of the other teachers told me that he was giving a history lesson of the Hokages outside in front of the stone faces.

"Thanks!" I told her and ran off.

Using my ninja stealth, I sneaked up the viewing platform and perched on the fence that surrounded the edge. Holding up a finger to my lips, I indicated I wanted to surprise their sensei.

"So Iruka-sensei, who's the fifth Hokage?" one of the little girls asked. He pretended to think about it, holding his hand to his chin. _Idiot doesn't even know I'm here. I don't know whether I'm that good or he's that bad. We'll say I'm that good so both our egos are safe._

"That hasn't been decided yet. Maybe it'll be your favorite teacher!" he replied with a crazy laugh. I chose that moment to jump on his back, though he didn't seem surprised or phased by it; he just kept laughing. _So he did know I was there. Bravo._

"Head in the clouds, I see," I commented.

"Yes, working in an occasional joke to make an interesting history lesson, eh, Iruka-sensei?" the Hokage himself asked as he came up the stairs. _I'd forgotten how well he hides his chakra. I didn't even notice him._ Iruka jumped and scratched the back of his head.

"Oh! Lord Hokage!" he exclaimed, obviously embarrassed. Konohamaru jumped up and demanded to know why his grandfather was there.

"I just wanted to look at the mountainside images like you students are doing," he replied pleasantly.

"Well, you came at a great time. Would you care to join us?" Iruka asked. The Hokage complied and walked up to stand in front of the class with you and Iruka.

"I didn't realize you had a pet monkey," he murmured to Iruka. I stuck my tongue out at the old man as Iruka hiked me up higher on his back.

"Not a monkey, just a pet," he informed the Hokage jokingly, also in a murmur. Iruka turned to his class.

"This is the man whose likeness is carved up on that mountain. He's the great third Hokage." He went on to explain a little more about the leader of the village. Then a few of the boys in the front row asked the Hokage if he really was that strong because he didn't look it. Iruka practically exploded on them, almost making me fall off my comfortable spot on his back.

"If you're granted the title of Hokage, it means only one thing- that you're the strongest in this entire land!" One of the boys stood up and declared that he would be the fifth Hokage. Iruka chuckled.

"Well you won't make it with the grades you have now," he commented, earning a giggle from the class and myself.

"Be nice," I told him with a playful swat to his head. After all, he knew better than to undermine a child's confidence, not that this kid was lacking. The Hokage talked to them about them being young and not wasting their lives.

"You have but one life so don't waste it. No matter what route you end up taking, remember to protect the ones that are precious to you." My heart skipped. _I had forgotten what an inspiring speaker he can be without even trying._

"The ones precious to us?" one kid asked, not understanding.

"Yes, the ones you appreciate the very most, and trust and love with all your heart." A few of the children went around saying who they had who were precious. Then one asked the three of us. The Hokage said he had his grandson and all the people of the village. They turned to me and Iruka.

"Are your families precious to you two, too?" Udon asked. My smile shrank.

"Actually, Shizuru-san and I, like so many other ninja, are orphans. But our friends make up for it, becoming a new kind of family of sorts, right Shizuru-san?" he asked. I smiled and nodded.

"That's right. Our own kind of family is precious to us all the same, even if we aren't tied by blood."

"Like Kakashi," he whispered to me when the children started talking amongst themselves again. I flinched slightly.

"Yes, and like you too," I said, unsure of why I felt the need to cover up for the flinch or why I even flinched in the first place.

"Sure," he agreed, but there was something else to his voice. Pushing it away, I told him I should rest my eyes and made my way to the bathhouse, trying to place that tone.

Two weeks later, I was bored again. The Hokage had given me a mission- an assassination- but I returned successful and once again without anything to do.

"Hey, Shizu!" a familiar voice called. I turned around and examined the woman's chakra. _Anko, huh?_

"Hi," I greeted her. "You know, most people that shorten my name usually use Zury."

"Alright then, Zury," she said with a laugh.

"I'm headed over to the ramen bar if you want to come. I invited Iruka and some others as well, so they might show up." I smiled broadly. _Something to do!_

"I'm in!" I said happily.

"Here you go, ladies," Ayame, the waitress, said as she placed our ramen bowls in front of us.

"And your sake, miss," she continued, placing a bottle in front of Anko.

"A drink this early?" I asked her.

"Early? It's past dinner time." I blinked.

"Really?"

"Yeah," she replied. "Here. You like sake?" she asked, putting a small glass in my hand. Actually, I had only had a little once, when I overused my eyes after I was first blinded- it severely dulled the pain and gave me a little headache the next day. But I couldn't really remember how it tasted. I took the offered glass and downed it. It was very strong and had quite a kick to it. I liked it.

Iruka's POV

Iruka came up to Ichiraku's ramen stand and ducked under the awning.

"Sorry I'm late. I'm getting as bad as Kakashi," he said with a laugh.

"No problem. Zury decided to join us, but Guy politely declined, Ibiki had other things to do, and Kakashi was nowhere to be found," Anko told him.

"Ruki-kun!" Shizuru greeted him with enthusiasm and near fell off her stool. _"Ruki-kun"? Where did that come from?_

"By the way, she's a bit tipsy," Anko informed him with a laugh.

"Tipsy?" the chunin asked. "Just how much has she had to drink?"

"Four cups. That's it." Iruka shook his head.

"You're not serious?" he asked, taking a seat.

"Oh I am. She's the biggest lightweight if I ever saw one! And watch this. Hey, Zury?" Shizuru looked over and giggled.

"Hic- yeah?"

"So what do you think of Iruka over here?" He blinked. _What's she doing?_

"Hee hee. I think he has a nice ass. He's a very good man. But he's a little too strict sometimes. -Hic- He should loosen up sometimes, ya know?" she replied, seemingly forgetting that he was right there.

"Ok, more than just tipsy. But see? She's rather truthful. I've been having a lot of fun getting stuff out of her. You wanna try?" Anko asked. _It's now or never._

"Shizuru, what do you think of Kakashi?" Shizuru seemed to ponder this for a while.

"I don't know," she finally said. "I like just -hic- being near him and I have to say, he's reeeeeally good looking. I mean, -hic- I could get pregnant just looking at him! Ha ha ha! But I know what he's -hic- like when it comes to distractions and I don't want to get hurt again. So I don't think about it. Hee hee," she said with a goofy grin. Anko sighed.

"That proved to be a waste. I really thought she liked him. Kureni thinks so, too."

"I wouldn't call it a waste," Iruka objected. "We just learned that she liked him before and even told him as much but he shot her down. He's grown up a bit since she left the village so it might turn out differently this time." _Kakashi mentioned she used to live here, so it must have happened then. Why did she go? A ninja leaving the village isn't an easy thing. _Anko eyed him strangely.

"You're pretty adamant about getting those two together. Why?" He shrugged.

"They're my friends. Kakashi wants her, it's obvious, but for some reason he holds back. The man has saved my neck countless times and in more ways than one. This is just a little something I want to do for him. And Shizuru...I don't know. It's something about her that draws me in. She can be so open, but I still don't have a clue as to what she's thinking half the time." Anko snorted.

"I don't think _she_ even knows what she's thinking half the time." Iruka laughed and looked over to see if the woman in question was even paying attention to the conversation- she wasn't. Instead, Shizuru was completely absorbed in eating her ramen. Remembering that was why he showed up, the chunin ordered some dinner as well. "Well, just be careful messing with someone's feelings," she warned, "cause it can get really messy." _Wait. Where is Kakashi anyway? Sasuke is gone too...I wonder._

"Hey, Shizuru!" She looked up; a ton of noodles were hanging from her mouth.

"Hm?"

"Where's Kakashi? And have you heard anything about Sasuke?" She took the time to swallow her ramen and exclaim how great it was before answering.

"Secret."

"What?" he asked, obviously annoyed.

"It's a secret."

"Are they ok?" he asked eagerly. _She has to know something!_

"How should I know? I just know that Kakashi told me that -hic- told me to keep his where-a-bouts secret. That all." _She's not talking. Or she really didn't know. Interesting._ Iruka told himself that Sasuke was fine and not with Orochimaru like some of the jonin were saying, though not sure if he believed it. _If Shizuru had anything to do with it, I'm sure that Sasuke is fine. After all, he's one of Kakashi's students and she wouldn't let Kakashi down. I know that for sure._

Shizuru's POV

Two days later, I was in the mission assignment room at the Academy, ready for my new mission.

"You were very effective in your last mission. Your next is an S-class as well," a chunin told me from behind the desk.

"Another assassination?" I asked.

"Yes," he told me, handing me a scroll.

"Read it to me. Just the target, where, and when by," I told him, putting my hands in my pockets casually.

"Ma'am," he replied. "The Feudal Lord of the Hiyki district- 40 miles South of the Village Hidden in the Rain." I frowned slightly.

"Someone in another Land wants us to take out one of their feudal lords?"

"Looks like it," he replied.

"This is too sensitive for a team. I go alone. If I'm caught, then you can deny the mission and say I'm a rogue ninja. That won't work with a team. When is my deadline?" I asked.

"The first of August. Good luck." I nodded and left, wanting to finish so I could get back before the deadline; I wanted to cheer on everyone at the Chunin exams.

"This is going to be fun," I told myself with a smile.

/

Thanks for sticking with me this far. Special thanks to chibichibi98 for reviewing last time and thanks to everyone who favorited.


	11. Chapter 11

Half a mile outside Hiyki District

I sat under a tree, spinning my folded up cane in my fingers, taking a small break. I had disguised myself as a normal, everyday civilian that has no ninja talent at all. Which also meant no usable chakra. When I had changed clothes, I also masked my chakra with Earth chakra. Honestly, water would've been best, but there wasn't a body of water for miles.

"Okay. Kunai pouches- hidden. Civilian clothes- on. Traveling cloak- on. Tapping stick- in hand. Sunglasses- on. Backpack- on back. Let's go!" I said happily, making one last check before I unfolded my cane and made my way to the town gate.

/

"Who goes there? State your business," a Grass Ninja asked from his post. Though my Dojutsu, the Rykugan, was activated, I still pretended that I was completely blind.

"Just a traveler looking for an inn to spend the night," I told him with a sweet smile in his vague direction.

"Hm..." The sunglasses were gently taken from my face so he could see if I was faking or not. I made myself blush in an ashamed way and murmured that most people are unnerved by eyes like mine. "Sorry, miss. Would you like an escort to the inn?"

"That would be very helpful. Thank you," I told him with another sweet smile and walked through the now open gate, tapping my stick in front of me so not to trip over anything while another ninja guided me by my arm.

/

That night, I changed into my original ninja outfit. I had left my headband in Konoha, though. _I'm so smart. Any other ninja would wait outside of town, sleep and plan during the day while uncomfortably hidden, then sneak in at night. No. I am welcomed and pitied and get to sleep in a comfortable bed. These people don't believe I could hurt a fly, even if I tried. Perfect._ I placed a genjutsu on the room just in case someone thought to check on me during the night. Then I slipped silently through the window. Most people would want to know about their target- why they had to kill him or her. I knew it was better not to ask. If I didn't know, it wouldn't weigh on my conscience.

The guards were easy to slip by; I was very disappointed. A few minutes later, I was standing over the target's sleeping body. _This is too easy. Wait! There!_ At that moment, eight ninja were on me.

Ninja A's POV

The intruder was easy to catch. It was obvious she was female, if a little on the small side, so the guardian ninja signaled the others to allow her to get into a false sense of security. She raised her kunai to strike at the Feudal Lord so he closed his raised hand. The ninja team launched themselves at her. The kunoichi was stunned by the sudden ambush, only able to make a few glancing blows on some of the men before they held her fast. As trained, they held her hands apart instead of behind her so she couldn't perform jutsus. She struggled, as expected, but gave up and slumped her shoulders. The team leader walked up to her and bent down so she could look him in the eyes if she wished.

"That was a pretty sorry attempt, don't you think?" he asked her.

"No," she whispered. The next thing he knew, an unbelievable pain came from his chest. It was near impossible to breathe! It was as if his lungs were being crushed. To deal with the pain, his body shut down- he passed out.

Shizuru's POV

They were on me. I moved quickly, purposefully making my blows glancing ones. There wasn't need for more. After a few minutes of struggle, they got me. Two ninja held me tight, keeping my arms apart. But that was OK. They weren't needed. I already had what I wanted. I was expected to struggle, so I did, but gave up and slumped my shoulders, waiting for the right moment. The team leader bent over to look me in the face.

"That was a pretty sorry attempt, don't you think?" he asked, sounding slightly disappointed.

"No," I answered with a smirk and clenched my fists. From the glancing blows, I had taken a rope of chakra from each ninja. Now I pulled them, ripping their energy right from their bodies. To cope with the pain, they passed out- I didn't want to kill them unless absolutely necessary. I turned to the Feudal Lord, who was still asleep, and raised an open right hand then closed the hand into a fist, collapsing the chakra around the man's heart, killing him. Giving the room a once over, I smiled at my clean work. _Not a single drop of blood and nothing that gives me away. Very nice._ As quietly as I had come, I left, considering staying for the complementary breakfast that was given at the inn I was staying at.

August 10 th

I arrived back in Konoha in the afternoon. It was nice being back; I decided as I strolled down the street.

"Hello, lovely," a familiar, robust voice said from behind me.

"Jiriaya-sama?" I asked as you turned.

"The one and only. How ya doin'? Why don't we take a walk down to the bar and get a few drinks?"

"And where is Naruto? I thought you were training him." The sanin laughed.

"Oh, Naruto? He's in the hospital. Did real good on his training. He can summon a toad now. And he summoned Gamabunta...the chief toad was a little much for Naruto, but it worked out fairly- Hey! Come back! What about our drink?" he called after me. I didn't respond, instead just running to the hospital. Of all three of Kakashi's students, Naruto was my favorite. He had every right to be mad at the world and hate everybody and everything, but he took things in strides and was always so cheerful.

"Naruto Uzumaki. Which room?" I demanded as I strode up to the front desk.

"Um, 104," the nurse replied.

"Naruto?" I asked as I walked into his room. I had seen the chief toad before and knew what he could do, even if he didn't mean to. Naruto lie on his bed, covered in bandages. After a quick assessment of his body, I found that he was internally bleeding- something the doctors had missed.

"Such shoddy work," I muttered disdainfully and infused my chakra with his own, healing the internal wound. _But why isn't the nine-tailed fox's chakra healing him? _

"_Because I'm drained."_ I jolted, not used to an unfamiliar voice resounding in your mind. _Is that you, fox? _

"_That's right, mortal. What are you doing in my host's body?" Fixing it, duh._ The nine-tailed fox stopped talking, so I finished boosting Naruto with a surge of chakra.

"There ya go, kiddo. Sleep well," I told him with a smile and left. I bumped into a young genin who was walking down the path. "Hello. You're Shikamaru, right?"

"Yeah, what of it?"

"Do me a favor and keep an eye on Naruto Uzumaki until he wakes up, will you?" It wasn't a request and he knew it.

"Yes, ma'am. Aw, man. This is such a drag," he muttered before walking off.

Later that night, I came across Naruto leaving the ramen shop.

"Hey, kiddo. Up and about, huh?" It took him a moment to respond.

"Oh. Hey, Shizuru-san." _Poor guy, he's so nervous about tomorrow._

"Come with me. There's something I want to show you," I told him and held out your hand.

Kikyo Pass

"Here. This is the shrine I wanted you to see, Naruto."

"But why? It's just a run-down shrine that no one visits anymore," he responded. I sat on a bench and pointed to the back wall.

"Read what the inscription says," I instructed.

"Um, sure thing," Naruto said. "'In the Village Hidden in the Leaves, a fire ignites.

The fire, angered, becomes a spirit

The fire's spirit then turns into a blaze

And that blaze repels any who would harm the village.

The fire spreads and becomes light

The light of the fire nurtures the heart

The fire spreads throughout the village.

The fire gathers and attains a will

The fire's will is strong and spirited

And thus the Leaf Village is protected.

The fire expands to become Kage

The Kage illuminates the village

The Village Hidden in the Leaves is reborn

And again the fire becomes Kage.'"

"Do you understand, Naruto?" I asked quietly. "You've been working to be a chunin so you could become Hokage one day. But are you wanting to be Hokage for the right reasons?"

He was quiet for a few minutes then replied quietly, "I want to be Hokage so everyone will acknowledge me. But I also want to protect this village. This is my home. This is the place that homes the people I care for." I nodded. That is what I wanted to hear. You can't be Hokage if you aren't strong enough to protect the village. And you are strong enough. But you also have to NEED to protect this village. Understand? You have the motivation and the power. You tell everyone to "Believe It!" but you need to believe in yourself. Right?" Naruto chuckled.

"Right, Shizuru-san. Thank you." I ruffled his hair.

"No problem, kiddo. Come on, let's get back to town. You need your rest."

The next day- Hokage's office

"Aw, do I have to?" I whined.

"Yes, we need ninja on the outer wall. I have ANBU out on patrol and the rest in the stadium. Chunin and Jonin are on patrol. If you had a team or special job, then you'd be able to get out of patrol and watch the match but you don't. So go." Muttering, I did as instructed. The one time I didn't want a mission, I got one. Speaking of missions, I almost wondered why Kakashi hadn't returned from his mission- training Sasuke. But then again, my friend was chronically tardy.

"Just my luck to have lookout duty today," one of the two chunin that shared my guard tower complained for the tenth time. "I really wanted to watch the chunin exams."

"You can watch them next time. You can wait six months," I informed him dryly. The more he brought it up, the more I remembered how much I wanted to be there.

"But the Uchiha kid is fighting. That's a once in a lifetime opportunity to see him battle to become a chunin." I shrugged.

"Get over it and get back to work." He sighed.

"Yes, ma'am." A small explosion and an intense surge of chakra caught my attention. I turned to "see" what was going on- a pillar of smoke was less than 100 meters away and I recognized the chakra type. It was a summoning.

"Notify the Hokage right away!" I commanded the chunin I had been speaking to. He nodded once and disappeared while the other chunin, another jonin, and myself got ready to attack whatever had been summoned. That whatever became known- it was a three headed snake. A BIG one. And it just crashed the watch station on my left.

"Go go go!" the jonin commanded. He took the lead, throwing kunai with explosives attached at the snake's nearest head.

"You're not coming into this village!" the chunin on my right challenged as all four of us launched ourselves at the summoning. However, the jonin on point got hit in midair by poison/venom from the snake. He was definitely gone. The rest of us were simply thrown back by the monster.

"Dispatch reinforcements!" I ordered the remaining chunin. He tried to leave, but three kunai got him in the back. I turned to see where they came from. Five Sand ninja were standing on the wall, smirking. Growling, I launched myself at them. _They're all mine!_ I ducked under the kunai they threw at me but continued my run. Two of them rushed at me, wind swords activated. I analyzed the chakra flow of the swords so I knew how to grab them without harming myself. The first ninja swung at me so I blocked with the left forearm, absorbing the weapon as well as the man's chakra. He fell, unconscious. Unfortunately, the others noticed and decided on a taijutsu offence. _Ah. Smart ninjas._ They circled around me and took turns throwing either punch, swipe, or kick at me. I dodged them, waiting for an opening. There! Mid-duck, I flung a shuriken at the second ninja and hit him in the neck. That left three. It was going to be a little more difficult now because these would have their guard up even more. However, a few fancy moves later, I was able to kill them and move on. What seemed like a few short minutes but was actually a lot longer later, I arrived at the arena where the final round of the chunin exams were held, having dispatched squads along the wall on the way. The giant three headed snake was also terminated, thanks to members of the ANBU squad. _There! That's where Kakashi and Guy are!_ I ran over to join them. To my surprise, they were both staring in the direction of the Hokages' box. I noted that there was a strange feel to the chakra over there and even some forest chakra, but turned my attention back to the seats where civilians lie asleep. It was a genjutsu by the feel of things. A civilian- no a ninja- "woke" from the genjutsu and threw a kunai at Kakashi. I threw my own to counter it then stabbed him. Kakashi barely spared me a glance; Guy didn't even notice me.

"Hello to you, too," I muttered.

"The Hokage," Guy said, still fixated on the Hokages' box. Frowning slightly, I activated my full Rykugan and looked. The Hokage was arm-locked with...Orochimaru?! inside a barrier. The Hokage was in his fighting outfit, there was a sword through him, and I sensed a distortion behind the Hokage. They remained at this stalemate for about ten more minutes and I just stared, mesmerized just as much as the other two jonin. A few minutes later, Orochimaru screamed and the life force completely disappeared from his arms. He ordered the retreat so I ran out, attempting to catch any stragglers and ignoring the fact that I just felt the Hokage's life snuff out.

Two days later, I sat in the back stall of a sake bar. I knew the drink loosened my tongue too much, but it also dulled the pain significantly. Hokage was gone. I had just come from his funeral. It was raining too. It seemed appropriate; it was like the sky was crying, mourning for his death just like the rest of the village. Though I knew it was a bit self-centered, the more I drank, less thoughts of the Hokage entered my mind and more thoughts about my own problems.

Iruka's POV

It was still raining when Iruka went into the sake bar. Shizuru sat at one of the back tables, staring blankly at the empty sake glasses in front of her. _Two of them?! She couldn't drink a third of ONE without getting tipsy._ He took off his rain coat and sat across from her.

"This isn't helping Sarutobi, you know," he told her gently. Her eyes were terribly unfocused; Iruka wouldn't be surprised if she had no idea who she was talking to. But he'd been wrong before.

"Nothing can help Sarutobi, Ir-hic-ruka. He's dead in case you hadn't heard the news," she informed the chunin, her head rolling a little. Frowning slightly, he put his hand on hers to get her attention.

"Maybe I should take you home. We do have work tomorrow." She shook her head wildly, her hair flinging around her head and spraying a few fine drops of water in all directions. Kakashi came in, looking around. Iruka waved to show where they were. The jonin walked over and shook his head.

"Don't you think it's time to get you home?" he asked Shizuru. She glared at him as much as she could through her unfocused eyes.

"I'm not going anywhere with you. Go away. Kakashi gently took her arm but she pulled away Don't touch me!" she shouted. The few people also at the bar looked over to see the commotion.

"You're making a scene. You'll be embarrassed in the morning," Kakashi informed her dryly. Shizuru turned in her seat to face him better and went off.

"You th-think you know everything but you DON'T. And what what are you- gay?! It's always about you. You and Obito. Obito, Obito, Obito! He's the only o-one that gets your feelings. -hic- What about me? I-I trust my life to you and then you screw me over again and again and again. And again. All I want is to be treated equally. You took away ev-everything from me including my –hic- identity, erasing me from everything here and you don't have the decency to tell me why you did it much much less who the hell murdered my family! You enjoy tormenting me you sadistic bastard! And you aren't even nice to me because you like me. You're only nice to me because you feel sor-sorry for me!"

Iruka stared, wide eyed at Shizuru, unable to imagine those words coming out of her mouth. _Does she really feel that way? And what did she mean about Kakashi erasing her from everything?_ He was almost afraid to look at Kakashi, but he did anyway. Kakashi stood there for a moment, impassive as ever. Even Iruka couldn't tell what he was thinking behind that mask. Finally, Kakashi tried to help her stand again, but she stumbled against the table and knocked over her last sake bottle; it spilled onto Iruka's leg. Iruka smiled, not wanting to make Shizuru feel bad.

"Heh, shouldn't have taken off my raincoat..." he commented.

"Look what you made me do!" Shizuru yelled at Kakashi.

"YOU take me home," she instructed the chunin. _Good. Any more sake or excitement, and she'd be dead._

"Whatever you want," Iruka told her and helped her out the door by slinging one of her arms around his shoulders so she could walk herself but stay balanced. She continued her rant a few minutes out of the bar.

"You- you know what? -hic- I don't even know why I'm getting so worked up over him. He's so cold an-and he doesn't give a damn about anyone."

"You don't mean that," Iruka told her firmly.

"I do! I should just give up being friends with hi-him and she swiveled her body so it was in front of him. Her arm, already around his shoulders, brought both body to body go for a kind, gentle, amazing man like you," she said. Shizuru's face was almost comical, with her unfocused eyes and goofy grin. However, she surprised Iruka when her free right hand followed the line of his back down and pinched his ass. Iruka took her wrist in his hand and held it in the empty air behind her.

"You don't mean that. So stop," he told her, trying to get a hold on the situation.

"But you you're so cuuute," she replied and kissed him. It started out as quite the forceful kiss, but after a few seconds -in which he was helplessly stunned- Shizuru fell down heavily against his chest. She had passed out.

"Took long enough," Iruka grumbled and hiked her over his shoulder and carried her home. _Probably best not to mention that little episode to Kakashi_.

Kakashi's POV

"You're still here?" Iruka asked. Kakashi nodded and indicated for him to take the seat across from him; he had taken Shizuru's chair.

"She didn't mean it," Iruka told him softly. Kakashi snorted.

"Yes she did. Every word. Some was true, some wasn't. But now I know what she's thinking," he commented, more to himself.

"What? What do you mean 'know what she's thinking'? Shizuru has to be the most open person about her feelings than anyone," his friend argued. Kakashi looked up at him, tilting his head to the side.

"That's not true. Some people, like you, have no qualms about wearing their hearts on their sleeves. You let people read your emotions. A ninja shouldn't show what they're feeling or thinking. I've known that since I could talk and so has Shizuru. I hide myself behind a mask. Shizuru...she hides everything behind a smile...fear, real anger, love, guilt..." he trailed off. Iruka was silent for a moment, considering the jonin's words.

"It takes a strong person to do that," he said. Kakashi shrugged, silently agreeing.

"Hey, Kakashi?"

"Hm?" Iruka blushed a bit and looked down.

"This may not be the best time, but I don't know when I'll get another chance. I wanted to apologize. You know, for hitting on Shizuru. I wanted to make you jealous so you'd maybe realize you like her." Kakashi regarded him curiously for a minute.

"I never could really see the two of you getting together. She's a bit of a handful. I actually always pictured you with the quieter type. Like a shy and sweet teacher or something," he told the chunin honestly. Iruka rubbed the back of his neck.

"That does sound like my type," he told his friend with a small laugh.

"But Shizuru's your type, you know."

"My type?" Iruka shook his head.

"Oh, just admit you want her and get it over with." Kakashi opened his mouth to argue, but nothing came out. He did want her. He wanted to be with her, more than anything. "That's what I thought," Iruka commented then leaned forward. "Now tell me, Kakashi. What did she mean about you erasing her from everything? And by taking her identity?" For the briefest of moments, Kakashi thought about making Iruka forget he asked, but it passed as quickly as it came. Iruka was his friend. _He'd find out eventually anyway._

"Do you know how she got blind?" the jonin asked the man across from him. His brows furrowed as he tried to remember, but shook his head.

"No. No, I don't."

"At one point, I was placed on her team and permitted to lead the mission. We got in trouble. I messed up. Our third member was injured very badly and later died and I...he hesitated. though not terribly vain, it was understandably hard to talk about this mission I was almost hit by a head on solar flare jutsu. Shizuru pushed me out of the way and the light permanently blinded her instead of me- they wanted to get rid of my Sharingan so they might stand a chance. Anyway, she left and I couldn't stop thinking about it. About her. About my guilt...so I tried to get rid of it all and pretend it didn't happen. I destroyed all records of her and used my Sharingan on those that really knew her so they'd forget all about her. So I could forget all about her...Anyway, there you have it. I was selfish and I admit it. Hope you're happy," Kakashi finished and raised a hand to catch the owner's attention. He nodded and brought over some sake for him. He drank a little while his friend stared at the table in concentration.

"It's almost impossible to believe," he muttered after a few silent minutes. "Almost." Kakashi said nothing- what was there to say?

"Things will be ok. She's back now and I'm telling you, Shizuru didn't mean what she said. If I were you, I'd tell her how I feel. You might be surprised," Iruka told his friend with a sly smile then stood. With a pat on his shoulder, Iruka left, saying he'd see him tomorrow.

"That's just it. You aren't me," Kakashi muttered and downed the rest of his sake. The copy ninja paid for his and Shizuru's bill then left, knowing he'd probably get a headache in the morning, providing this didn't count as one right now.

Shizuru's POV

I woke the next day around noon with a pounding headache.

"Idiot," I muttered to myself. After a few hours and cups of coffee, some painkillers, and a cold shower, I felt more like myself. "What happened last night?" I asked myself, trying to remember. It came to me in a flash- my outburst against Kakashi and kiss with Iruka. "Oh please...tell me that didn't happen," I groaned and flopped onto my bed. No one was there to tell if it did or didn't, though I knew the truth. "I could kick myself," I muttered angrily and stormed out the door, looking for Iruka to apologize to. I found him at the school, right where I thought he would be. He was grading papers in the teacher's lounge since the school day was over.

"Can I talk to you?" I asked, embarrassed.

"Of course," he replied warmly from his seat. I sat next to him.

"I wanted to apologize to you for yesterday. It was very nice of you to get me home and I really shouldn't have acted the way I did." He chuckled.

"Don't worry about me. It's not like I didn't get anything from it," he joked. I managed a week laugh.

"Well, what can you expect, irresistible as you are?" I mocked.

"Hey, you're the one that couldn't keep your hands off me, remember?" I shrugged.

"Sorry. But, hey. What can I say? You've a nice ass. I'm surprised you aren't beating girls off with a stick."

"I nearly had to beat YOU off but you passed out," he pointed out, still teasing. I hung my head. While kind of funny, I still felt horrible for it all. He placed his hand on my own.

"It's fine. But I think you need to talk to Kakashi. You said some pretty harsh things last night." I nodded.

"I know. I must've been a total ass." Iruka patted my hand before removing it.

"You're not the only one that's quick to forgive. Now go talk to the man so I can get some grading done." Giving a quick hug, I left to find Kakashi.


	12. Chapter 12

Kakashi was where I thought he'd be- at the KIA stone.

"Can I talk to you?" I asked timidly, coming up behind him. I could feel his gaze turn to me; it felt almost sad.

"Nothing's stopping you," he said as his footsteps came nearer. Kakashi walked with me to the three wooden posts and leaned against one of them.

"I'm sorry," I told him. "I said some harsh things last night to you that I should have never said. I didn't mean any of them, really," I insisted.

"Liar," he commented, though not in an ugly way. "You meant every one of those things-"

"But I didn't! Take what I said about Obito," I said, cringing internally at using his deceased friend's name. "I didn't mean it. I can tell how much you care for your squad."

"Is that all you can tell I care for?" he asked, seemingly only curious.

"Well, no. I can tell you care very much for your friends like Iruka and such."

"'All I want is to be treated equally.' That is what you said. I thought I was treating you as an equal. I know how capable you are and I respect you." I bit my lip.

"Then why do you try to pamper me? As if I were an invalid child?" The flatness in his voice was obvious as he informed me that I acted like a child sometimes.

"Did you ever think that I try to look after you because I want to? That maybe I _like_ caring for you?" he asked, flatness gone. No, it never occurred to me. Not once. He had always treated me like he was better than me when we were young. Why change so much now? I simply shook my head. "I like protecting you. That is why I won't tell you who killed your clan. To protect you," he explained.

"I honestly don't think of you as a sadistic bastard, but I would like to know...why...why did you erase me?" I asked in a small voice.

"Because I'm selfish. I didn't want to be reminded of you after you left. It hurt too much. The fact that I lost you added to my guilt for failing so terribly again was too much, so I did the only thing I could think of," he replied easily. I nodded slowly. "Does that cover all the accusations?" he asked pleasantly. I couldn't help but smile a little.

"I believe so. So do you forgive me?" He didn't say anything. Instead, I heard him come close to me. Before I knew it, soft, warm lips were pressed against my own. Stunned, I stood there, not doing anything. Kakashi abruptly pulled back and coughed in an embarrassed way.

"Sorry 'bout that. I shouldn't have, I mean, yeah, don't worry about it." I nodded quickly then fled, unsure of what had just happened.

Running into my apartment complex, I ran right into someone.

"Sorry," I apologized, recognizing Izumo's chakra.

"That's ok. Here, lemme help you up," he said and did so. "So where's the fire?" he asked. Honest, I tapped the space over my heart. Somehow, I'll never know just how, but he knew what I meant. "So what did he do?" he asked. "You know what? Hold that thought. Let's talk it out," he said, taking my wrist and leading me to a training ground. "Ok. Go," he said. Pushing a little chakra from the earth to my eyes, I could see he his movements as he attacked me. This was how Izumo and I had conversations- we sparred with only taijutsu talking around the fists and legs.

"I made an ass of myself when I drank too much last night so I went to apologize to Kakashi but I dodged a high kick but got pushed back when I threw a punch when I did, he kissed me. I didn't know what to do, so I ran." Izumo threw a few punches and I blocked them and got him on the ground with a floor sweep. He was up quickly, nonetheless.

"So why'd you run away? I thought you liked him too. That's why Hagane and I teased you," he said.

"But this came from nowhere!" I objected.

"No?" he asked as I tried a high kick. He swept underneath my leg and kicked the one I was standing on from underneath me. "You two are always together. It's obvious how happy he is when he's around you. And your little 'tousles' don't go unnoticed either. ANBU sure likes their gossip, especially when it comes to former members." While I was still on the floor, he brought his leg around to kick me in the stomach, but I blocked it with my hands, flinging it away and standing up. "What would you call that but flirting?" he asked.

"Just because we flirt, doesn't mean we mean anything by it. It's just a fun way to pass the time," I explained.

"You've been overheard yelling for an adult on multiple occasions and it's always because of him. Did you ever wonder why he's so adamant about you admitting that he's an adult?" he asked. I blinked and blocked another punch to the head.

"No," I told him.

"You claim that you need an adult. Well, admitting that he's an adult implies that you need him," he explained. Startled by this simple revelation, I didn't block as he delivered a firm kick to the stomach. I flew back a few feet.

"Do you love him or not?" he asked, laughter evident in his voice.

"I...I think..."

"Don't think, girl," he told me as he tried to hit my head. "Remember that kiss. Do you love him?" he demanded.

"Yes," I said without thinking. Izumo pulled back his punch. I could almost feel the smirk on his face.

"Good. Problem solved. Now go tell him that." Smiling ear to ear, I nodded and ran. "You might want to clean up a bit first!" he called after me.

Kakashi's POV

A timid knock came at the door. Surprised, he glanced at the clock. _Oh. It's only 7:30._ Kakashi opened the door to Shizuru. He was very surprised it was her. By the way she ran from him when he kissed her that afternoon, Kakashi didn't expect her to even talk to him for a few days at least.

"Um," she started. _Is she blushing? I mean REALLY blushing?_ he wondered, surprised.

"Sorry, come on in," he said placidly, unsure why she was there.

"Oh, thanks," she said and walked past him to sit on the couch. Kakashi followed, wondering what had her so tense. _It's not like I'm not nervous or anything. I impulsively kissed her this afternoon. And I thought that told her how I felt about her. And then she ran for it. Now what?_

"Why did you kiss me?" she asked quietly, face downturned.

"I thought it was obvious, Zury," he told her, surprised, "I have feelings for you." Her blush deepened.

"Right. That's what I wanted to talk to you about," she said. _Great. Now she's going to reject me and things are going to be seriously awkward between us. That's why I didn't want to tell her- I didn't want to lose a friend. Thanks a lot, Iruka._ "I...I wanted to say that..." She swallowed. Then, with deliberate movements, faced the man next to her, pulled down his mask, and kissed him. It was timid, soft, and sweet, as if she was afraid that if she pressed against him, he'd attack her. Kakashi brought his hand up to cup her cheek and pulled her in deeper, intensifying the timid kiss. Running his tongue across her lip, he asked for entrance. She complied, so he pushed his tongue in to explore her mouth as her tongue pushed against his own. After a minute or so of kissing, she pulled back, whispering, "I...I love you." Shizuru winced as the words left her mouth. It didn't seem to help her resolve as he stared at her, taken aback. _But how could she feel so deeply after ev- hell, I'm not arguing. I'll never understand anyway. I'm just happy she feels the same!_

Shizuru's POV

"I...I love you," I said, wincing. _There! I said it! Ack! Why is he taking so long to reply? Maybe he doesn't feel that strongly for me. Maybe I should've waited a while before saying it._

"I love you too," he said happily. The breath caught in my lungs and I fought the urge to cry (but a good cry). Instead, a giggle managed to erupt from my throat.

"We're so stupid, you know," I commented. He didn't reply, instead pressing against me in another kiss. This time, I returned it with eagerness, savoring the taste of him and the feel of his lips against my own. I felt alive with sensations, my skin registering the smallest touch of his fingers against my cheek, his leg pressed against mine, and my hand grasping his arm. I could feel my heart pumping- or was is Kakashi's, we were so close- and even the faint tingle of my blood moving throughout my body. It was hot and cold at the same time and the air was still catching in my lungs, but I didn't care. Right now, I wanted nothing more than just to be there, being wanted by Kakashi.

/

The next day, I couldn't feel happier. Everything was perfect. True, the Hokage had died not a week past, but newfound love had that effect. Even the destruction of most the village from Orochimaru's attack didn't dampen my mood.

"Someone's cheerful," a voice behind me in the hallway of my apartment commented. "And that someone came back late last night. I take it things went well?" I turned to smile at Izumo.

"Sure did! Thanks for the help." He ruffled my hair.

"Heh. Think nothing of it. This way, we get to tease the two of you even more." Laughing, I swiped playfully at his head.

"Nuh-uh. That's not how it works. You get to hush up and stop teasing us because we're finally together. So there."

"Eh. We'll see. So do you know your assignments yet?" I shook my head.

"No. I'm on my way to the assignment desk now. Clean up is going to be a bitch, ain't it?" He laughed.

"Damn straight. It always takes longer to clean up the mess than it does to make it."

"Morning," a wonderfully familiar voice said from beside me as I waited to find out which part of town I'd be helping to rebuild today. I smiled broadly.

"Good morning, Kishi-kun." He sighed.

"Don't call me that." I hugged him from the front, my hands interlocking behind him in the small of his back. I was teasing him and he knew it.

"Aw, but I know deep, deep down there somewhere, you really like it when I call you that, eh _Kiiiishi-kuuuun_?"

"No." I let go and pouted until the village elders called for attention and gave everyone their assignments.

It was a little after 10am when Kakashi told me to take a break from my project.

"What's up?" I asked.

"Intruders," was all he would say. That was enough, though. Activating my dojutsu, I followed him wordlessly to the bridge. Two unfamiliar chakras were pressing on me. _One is slightly familiar but...I can't be sure. One is a water based chakra and the other is fire._ The other two I knew- Kureni and Asuma.

"Help Asuma," Kakashi instructed. I nodded once and dashed forward to get in-between Asuma and the water chakra ninja while Kakashi performed the Water Shark Missile Jutsu to counter the same attack from behind the fire chakra ninja.

"What are you two doing here?" Asuma asked.

"Well, I asked you two to keep an eye on them, but I got a little worried," Kakashi responded.

"Who are they?" I murmured to Asuma.

"Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki, both listed in the bingo book." Smiling, I pulled out two tessen and got in the ready stance.

"So what's a rogue ninja like you doing in this village?" Kakashi asked Itachi, holding a kunai to his neck. Though it was said quietly, I was still able to hear Itachi breathe Kakashi's name. Kisame and Kakashi bantered for a bit but I remained quiet. I knew Kakashi was just trying to get information out of them. I couldn't stop looking at Kisame. I had never seen a half shark man before.

"Heh, smelly fishy," I muttered, but Kisame heard it. _Whoops._

"That's it. I'd love to cut you two to ribbons right now." He raised his big ass sword- Sameheda, if I remembered right.

"Kisame, stop it. If you take the man on, it won't be without cost. Furthermore, it will take time and the commotion is likely to bring more shinobi running. Your way is inefficient and very risky. Don't lose sight of our goal," Itachi told his partner.

"And the woman?" Kisame asked, though his sick smile told you he knew the answer. "Is of no consequence. There is barely any chakra coming off her. I trust you will be done before you jeopardize our mission." And Kisame attacked. I just barely heard Kakashi ask Itachi what their mission was as I dodged the huge shark scale sword. Itachi calmly replied that they were looking for something they knew was in this Village. I stopped listening however. Kakashi had his fight and I had mine. At least he kind of had Kureni to help him while I had Asuma. Samehada was a long range weapon, meant to keep people at bay with its size and strength. Asuma and I had short range weapons, knuckle knives and tessen. That being observed, the two of us had to get in close for a good chance to taking down the ninja. Itachi stated that his partner's style was too risky, so Kisame was obviously trying not to be too destructive to the land around him; he didn't want too much noise. But because of him trying to be careful, it was easier for us to get past his defenses. I slashed at him with my fan, though he managed to evade the weapon. Asuma stayed on the outside, blocking blows from Sameheda. I wanted to use my jutsus, but I knew from my studies that Sameheda could absorb active chakra. That's why I was keeping mine under wraps. So until I could figure out a way to get around that, it was taijutsu for me. A big water attack and explosion caught my attention long enough for Kisame to kick me away hard.

"Kureni! Kakashi!" Asuma yelled but hesitated, looking at me.

"Go! I'll be fine!" I shouted at him. Now it was just me against Kisame. _Ok ok ok, think! His sword absorbs chakra. How can I get a jutsu past him? I need to make sure his sword's power doesn't touch anything else. That's it!_ I darted past Kisame, grabbing a fistful of Sameheda's chakra and twisted it so it would be the direct opposite of what it was, much like a magnet's revered polarity (N and S). Looping it, I threw it back at Sameheda. Now a ring of opposite energy floated around the sword, pushing back all chakra it tried to take in. Now I could attack. I laughed gleefully and made the hand signs for my Ice Impaling jutsu. However, Kisame recognized the signs and moved so that only his right leg was caught. The water in his leg solidified and shot through his skin like spikes, impaling it from the inside out. Angry, he managed to hit me with what would be the flat side of his sword. However, this was Sameheda. The spot where he hit me, just above the shoulder blades, was torn to ribbons. I screamed, the pain making me lose hold of my Rykugan. He then mumbled some sort of jutsu and reversed what I had done to his leg, though the wounds were still there. I took that time to fasten my two tessen together at the bases and throw it like a razor Frisbee/boomerang at Kisame. He looked at his partner and frowned.

"Damn it," he muttered and ran to Itachi, dodging my weapon in the process. I followed, though stopping to stand with my comrades. I could feel Asuma and Kureni next to me and Kakashi was on all fours, breathing raggedly.

"The thing you've come for- is it Sasuke?" Kakashi asked.

Itachi answered in his emotionless voice, "No, the legacy of the 4 th Hokage." The wind blew strands of my hair across my face. I could hear leaves on trees rustling, it was so quiet.

"Are you after the kyuubi inside Naruto? I know you aren't the only ones moving around. The name of your organization was Akatsuki was it?" Kakashi asked, though the tone in his voice showed he already knew the answer.

"Akatsuki?" Asuma repeated. _He didn't know? I thought all the jounin were informed. _Kisame took in a sharp intake of air but I assumed Itachi was surprised as well.

"Kisame, we're going to have to take Kakashi. Let's have the other three disappear," Itachi instructed. But before Kisame could act, I charged them. I heard Kakashi groan and felt his chakra levels go way down and I faltered.

"Kakashi? Kakashi, what happened? Talk to me, Kakashi," I said firmly. A firm hand wrapped itself tightly around my throat and the next thing I knew, I was dangling in the air.

"Don't worry about him," Itachi said to me. "Worry about yourself." I pulled at his fingers, allowing air to enter the windpipe. I focused on breathing for a few moments while he just…held me there.

"So how many nations are actually in the Akatsuki? Did they all have to kill their families to join, too?" The next thing I knew, he threw me back in the water. I slammed into the bridge wall.

_I wanted out of his hand, didn't I? _I heard Kisame say something then felt him charge toward my friends. I tried to get up but only managed to flail, managing to look like an idiot. _Screw looks- that hurt._ Guy showed up in that instant, saving the day, from the sound of it- I wasn't quite sure because I was having a hard time focusing my chakra. From the feel of it, a few ribs were broken.

"Calm down. You will be alright, Shizuru," Guy said from my left.

"What's going on? What about the others? I can't sense Kakashi or Kureni or Asuma." Guy picked me up, careful of my injuries.

"It's all right. Uchiha called off the fight. He said they didn't come here to start a war. You can't sense our friends anymore because they took Kakashi to the hospital. Itachi didn't hold back much for him." I nodded, phasing in and out of real consciousness. _Kakashi…_

/

"Oh, god," I breathed as I walked into Kakashi's hospital room the next day, having been fixed up. His chakra and life force were almost non-existent.

"What did Itachi do to you?" I immediately tried to give Kakashi some of my own chakra, but his body rejected it. It rejected anything and everything I did. Even lightning chakra. The doctors could do nothing but let him rest and keep him under observation. _Maybe if I had become the med-nin like I was supposed to have been, I could help him,_ I thought miserably.

/

For ten days I stayed by Kakashi's side, worrying, hoping, and trying new things on him to see if they would help. They wouldn't, but at least he wasn't getting worse. The only times I left were to get food, do whatever work that was required of me, and occasionally shower. I even slept by his bed, despite the protests of friends who came to visit as well as some of the doctors. But finally, the eleventh day came and with it, the soon to be fifth hokage and her escorts, Jiraiya and Naruto, and her own subordinate, Shizune. Naruto made sure that Tsunade visited the hospital first to heal Sasuke. I had heard that he was in the hospital for the same reason as Kakashi, but I visited him only once.

"All right, let's get this over with," said the woman in front of me. I allowed my chakra flow to focus a little through my eyes so I could get the white outlined view of the lady. She looked young, but felt older, even though she was loaded with chakra. She was taller than me and had a slim figure and unbelievably gigantic boobs. She was also saying something.

"You-you're going to heal him?" I asked a little dumbly- lack of sleep can do that to a person.

"Yes, that's why I'm here." I nodded then walked out, passing Guy at the door.

"I thought you'd want to be here when he wakes up," he commented.

"No, I don't," I said in a monotone voice then left.

Kakashi's POV

Kakashi woke up, feeling like he was going to be sick. He sat up slowly so he wouldn't get even more nauseated.

"How long was I out?" he inquired to the room at large.

"Twelve days," Guy informed him.

"I'm sorry I was so much trouble," Kakashi said, primarily to the Lady Tsunade. Besides her, there was Naruto, Jiraiya, Guy, and a lady he didn't know. It kind of saddened him that Shizuru wasn't there. But he did remember feeling her presence while he slept. "I'll be back to my duties as soon as I'm strong enough." After a few words from the healer, they all left except for Guy.

"She left when Lady Tsunade came. I don't know why. Oh, and you should know, Kakashi. She took on Itachi's Sharingan with no effects." Kakashi nodded his thanks so Guy left to go plead for Tsunade to heal Lee. _Of course it didn't work. If she can't see it, it won't work. _Getting up slowly- the jonin didn't want to overdo it- he made his way to the KIA stone. Zury was always able to find him there so he felt like he should be able to find her there too. Somehow, that logic played out because that's exactly where she was.

"Hey, Zury," Kakashi greeted. She walked up to him slowly, as if she was unsure if it really was him. Then Shizuru slapped him across the face.

"That's for making me worry!" she shouted at him, eyes tearing up. He rubbed his cheek a little and smiled a bit.

"And here I thought you said that you never worry." Shizuru hugged him tight and Kakashi happily returned it.

"I'm sorry," she said, voice muffled by his chest. "I tried everything I could think of and I couldn't help you. I'm so sorry."

"Shhhh," Kakashi quieted her. "It's fine. It took a sanin to heal me. It's not your fault." Shizuru sniffled a little, but wouldn't let go.

"I was afraid I lost you," she whispered. Kakashi shook his head.

"Not today."

Shizuru's POV

The two of us stayed in the embrace for a few minutes then sat down.

"So how are you holding up?" he asked me.

"I'm fine. Why? You were the one in the hospital."

"You were too, so I heard. You stayed with me for over a week and still worked." He sighed "By the way, did you have your seeing jutsu up when you attacked Itachi?" I shook my head.

"No. Kisame knocked me out of it and I couldn't quite get it up after that."

"That's what I thought. Guy said Itachi tried to use the Sharingan on you. If you two fight again, he'll know it won't work. Thought I should warn you," he told me. I nodded.

"Thanks. I'll keep that in mind." He put his arm around my shoulders.

"I'm just glad we're both safe. We got off better than I thought we would." _Yeah, safe...but why is it that even though we're both fine, I don't feel safe? It's like someone is watching me. Like they've been watching me for days now...Oh well. It's nothing to worry about, I suppose._

/

A few days later, once Tsunade was officially settled in as the 5th Hokage, Shikamaru Nara was promoted to Chunin. Of all the candidates, only one made it. And he was a rookie to boot. I was proud of him as well as all the other participants. Thinking of them, my mind drifted to Sasuke and Naruto. Sasuke was still recovering in the hospital from Itachi's attack on him. It worried me how dark and closed off he was acting. _I mean, he was closed off before, but never so much_.

/

"You asked for me, Lady Hokage?" I asked as I entered her office.

"Yes, Shizuru. I have a request to make of you." I stood at attention.

"I will do my best, ma'am." She sighed and scanned over an open book on her desk.

"Do you know the genin Rock Lee? I nodded Do you recall what happed to him?" I nodded once.

"I did not actually witness the event, but I know that Gaara of the Sand really laid into him. I was told that with his injuries, Lee would never be a ninja again."

"That's correct. But we want to try to change that. This boy has a spirit and a will to go on like nothing I've seen before. There is an operation I want to try but I need your help." I was surprised.

"Me?"

"When I proposed having a medical ninja in every squad, my idea was rejected due to lack of resources. The Kuichi clan helped put my plan into motion. They taught able ninjas what to do or at least how to tide a teammate over in the field until they could get the person to a hospital. You Kuichis are raised from birth to be medics. You may call yourself Imamura for whatever reason, but I need a Kuichi there helping me with this operation." I lowered my head shamefully.

"If you recall, Lady Tsunade, I was disowned from my family because I would not become one. I have a little training, but nothing you could really use."

"I don't need a Kuichi because of medical training. I need one for chakra manipulation. And not only are you all that's left, but you are the best manipulator since before the Village Hidden in the Leaves was created. So will you assist me?" I bowed at the waist, blushing heavily. Such a compliment from the Hokage herself!

"I will do all I can to assist you. When will the operation be done and what do I need to do?" Tsunade checked her notes again.

"For just under a 70% success estimation, it will take the two of us working at our fullest. We have to reactivate all of his cells at the exact same time." My eyes widened.

"Wha- Is that even possible?! But I've never done anything of the sort!" I protested, fear for killing the boy taking over decorum.

"I know. But we're going to try. I need you to take hold of all his cells and I will lock onto your chakra and reactivate it. Can you handle that? I need to know now." I thought hard, knowing a life would be in my hands. Not to end, but to maintain. It was so different.

"Yes. Yes, I can handle that."

"Good. I'll see you in his hospital room at 3pm the day after tomorrow. Dismissed." I bowed and left the room, giving Izumo and Kotetzu a small wave as I left. _Damn it. I have that being watched feeling again. What's going on?_ I thought as I walked home.

/

The next day brought terrible news. Naruto ran up to me, looking terribly out of breath.

"What's wrong?"

"Yesterday- yesterday Sasuke and I had a fight on the roof and now he's gone. He left to go to Orochimaru. And- and I don't know why I'm here but something inside me says I have to get to you before I try to go after Sasuke." I frowned.

"Well you're here now..." Then Naruto sort of jolted and the feel of his chakra changed ever so slightly. A voice resounded deep in your mind, _"So I found you. About time. I don't like leaving things unfinished. You saved my vessel's life and without him, I would die. Ergo, I release myself of this debt today."_

"How do you mean?" I whispered. My question was answered soon enough; intense pain seared through my head causing me to scream and fall to the ground, clutching your head. After a few moments, I blacked out.


	13. Chapter 13

My eyes opened. I was lying in the middle of the street and Naruto was hovering over me, blue eyes full of worry.

"Um, Shizuru-san, are you alright?" he asked. I forced a smile on my face and ruffled his hair.

"Yeah. Don't worry. Go find Sasuke. If anyone can talk sense into that boy, it's you." He nodded and smiled.

"Believe it!" I watched him run down the street and out of sight. "By the first Hokage," I muttered shakily, "I can see..." _Maybe it's just like the last time some of the Kyuubi's power got absorbed into me but just at a higher level. If I merge with someone again it will probably be gone...but this feels different than it did before. It doesn't feel like I am using borrowed chakra this time. It feels like...like me. It feels real. Maybe I could ask Kakashi to- no. I couldn't do that. He only got out of the hospital 4 days ago. I couldn't ask him to go through that pain. I know!_

Academy

"Please, Iruka. Just this one favor," I begged.

"I'll give you my answer once I know what it is," he replied with a skeptical smile. Sighing, I quickly explained everything.

"...and now I want to know if they're really fixed or it's just temporary like last time."

"And the merging jutsu is the only way to do it?" I nodded. He shrugged. "Ok then." I hesitated.

"Like I said, it will hurt." Iruka only shook his head and crossed his arms.

"What are friends for? And I'm a ninja. And a teacher. I'm used to pain," he insisted. I chuckled.

"All right then. I fashioned the proper hand signs Guitai." Everything around me blurred and shifted and soon I was looking out of Iruka's body. I ran around the classroom a few times and made some doodles on the chalkboard to take up a little time then released the jutsu. Iruka collapsed on the ground, panting heavily, cursing mildly under his breath. "I'm so sorry, Iruka! Really I am. I shouldn't have asked you to do that." He shook his head and stood up.

"It's fine. Honestly. More importantly, did it work? No, wait. Here," he said and scribbled something on a scrap piece of paper on his desk. This would be the real test. If I could make out words on paper, then he would know if I could really see or if I was subconsciously using the Rykugan or something. Why we didn't think of that before, I don't know. He held up the paper.

It read: Go tell Kakashi the good news.

I read it aloud then laughed and jumped up and down then hugged Iruka tightly.

"I can see! I can see!" I laughed as tears streamed down my cheeks. Oh, how I had missed my real sight. I ran outside, still all smiles, and tried to find Kakashi. It wasn't too long before I ran into him.

"Oh good. I was hoping I'd find you," he said.

"Guess what, guess what, guess what!" I exclaimed, jumping up and down like a child.

"What?"

"I can see!" He regarded me curiously.

"You usually can when you have your Rykugan up." My eye twitched slightly.

"No." I took his book from his hand and read two sentences from a random spot in the book. He stared at me with wide eyes.

"How- what- when?" he stammered.

"It happened today. The Kyuubi didn't like being indebted to me, so he fixed the scarring on my retnas. I'm cured!" He hugged me tight and I couldn't help but start crying a little. I was so happy. No matter how many times I claimed it was no big deal that I was blind, I longed for sight more than anything else.

"I'm very happy for you," he said into my hair. He really meant it, too. "But as much as I would love to have a party with you right now, I have to go."

"Go where?" I asked.

"I'm off on a mission for a few days and I wanted to say goodbye."

"When are you leaving?"

"About half an hour from now. I still need to get ready. I just couldn't leave without a kiss," he said with a smile. I smiled back and lowered his mask enough for me to give him a deep, long kiss. "I'll expect one of those when I get back. And then we'll celebrate your sight returning," Kakashi said as he pulled his mask back up.

"I'll give you a better kiss when you get back. Be careful."

"You too," he said and with a quick embrace, left.

Next Day

I slept 'till about noon thanks to Tsunade's orders to not give me any missions or jobs so I could rest up for Rock Lee's operation. I meandered around until 2:30 then when to the hospital. _That's so strange. I feel watched again._ I purposefully shrugged it off to get into the proper frame of mind for Lee's surgery.

"Hello, Shizuru-san," Lee said from his bed.

"Are you ready?" I asked brightly. He lowered his eyes for a second, showing he was a little afraid, but then looked me in the face and smiled.

"I'm ready."

"That's good to hear," Tsunade said as she came through the door. She looked me up and down, forehead furrowed slightly. "Something is different about you," she said slowly.

"I'll explain later," I told her. She shrugged.

"Can we get a move on?" Tsunade half growled.

"Yeah, sure."

/

I leaned against a tree in the hospital's backyard. _That was the hardest operation ever. Sure, the mechanics were easy- lock onto Lee's cells so she could reactivate them. But noooooo. Man, I'm wiped._ I stood up straight. That being watched feeling was back again. But being drained as much as I was, my reactions were pitiful. A hand was around my waist and another was holding a cloth over my mouth.

"Please don't struggle. I don't want to hurt you," a familiar voice said in my ear before I passed out from the inhaled ether fumes.

/

"Wake up, precious," a warm voice said, though it sounded distant. I tried to open my eyes but my eyelids were too heavy. I tried to move my arms but they wouldn't move either. "Don't bother to try to get up, just open your eyes." I tried again and this time they opened up slowly. It was dark in the room with only a few candles to illuminate the small room. My vision was hazy at first and I was worried that my eyes were regressing back into blindness, but they cleared. "Hello, Mother," that familiar, glossy voice said. My eyes widened and I searched the room for the only person to ever refer to me as 'mother.'

"Kabuto," I spat when my eyes found him. He was shrouded in shadows in the far left corner. "Where am I? How long have I been here? What do you want with me?"

"All very good questions," Kabuto said with a smirk, "but you will have to wait for my Lord to answer them. However, I can tell you that you've been out for about a day." I swallowed a gasp. _A whole day?!_ I tried to stand up but remembered that I couldn't move my arms for a reason- I was tied to a chair. _Ok, I just have to do a simple release jutsu and make a run for it. I can take the spy on_. My hands were tied apart behind my back, but that didn't matter. I could still manipulate my chakra into two near tangible hands and work jutsus like that. I tried...but there was no chakra in me to manipulate. Kabuto chuckled. "Your surprise is obvious. I know about you. That's why we drained you and put a seal on you. Good luck getting out of here that way." The door behind me opened.

"Now, Kabuto, don't wish her luck. We don't want her gone, now do we?" a cold, slithery voice said from the doorway.

"Lord Orochimaru," Kabuto greeted and bowed his head a little in respect.

"Miss Shizuru Imamura," Orochimaru said to me as he walked around to face me properly. He was deathly white with pitch black hair framing his face. His golden snake-like eyes near glowed. Orochimaru wore a traditional kimono. He was almost handsome, in a cold, snake-like sort of way. But then my eyes found his arms. They were covered in bandages. "Ah. You see the reason you are here," he told me. I only glared. "I am in need of your abilities to heal my arms. My jutsu has been taken away and it would be in your best interest to cooperate." I tried to intensify my glare. "I will say please," he said patiently.

"No, I would rather not, thanks all the same," I told him darkly.

"Very well. Kabuto, move Miss Imamura to one of the prison cells. Give her time to think her situation over."

"Yes, Sir."

/

I sat in my dark cell, huddled in the corner. I had lost count of the days, being so far from the sun. At best guess, it could have been about a week or so since I'd been abducted. Kabuto came in every now and then to give me food, but when he did, it was irregular. Sometimes he'd bring food two to three times in one day and sometimes, not at all. I was still drained of my chakra and the seal on me didn't allow any more to build up. And I couldn't manipulate the natural chakra around me because there was none. I was blocked off with no hope of escape. _No. That's what they want me do- lose hope. Well I'm not going to. Just to spite the lot of you. So there_, I thought stubbornly to myself.

Kabuto's POV

"Lord Orochimaru," he addressed, bowing slightly, "you summoned me?"

"Yes. How is the prisoner doing? Has she changed her mind yet?" Kabuto shook his head.

"No, Sir. She is quite adamant about not being part of the solution." Orochimaru sneered from his chair.

"Little brat."

"Her will falters every now and then, but her resolve comes back for some reason."

Orochimaru sighed. "Very well. Use our last resort. If this doesn't break her will, I don't think anything will." The spy smiled evilly and bowed.

"Yes, Lord Orochimaru."

Shizuru's POV

The door to my cell creaked open but I just sat there. Being chained to the wall usually kept one in place. Kabuto came in, smirking.

"I've brought you a visitor," he said happily and stepped to the side. A man came in, dressed in purple and white ninja gear. He had dark brown hair with bangs that went to the middle of his nose. It was longish in the back too. It wasn't until he looked me straight on when I saw his blue eyes. My mouth opened but nothing came out. Shock at seeing the man again seemed to have left me speechless.

"What's wrong, Zury? No warm hello for your old sensei?" Touda taunted. I shook myself out my shock and asked what he was doing here. He squatted in front of me, though just out of reach. "What do you think I'm doing here? I work here." My eyes, if possible, got wider.

"Why?" I managed to breathe. He chuckled bitterly.

"You were always so oblivious, my little Zury. I wanted you, but you only had eyes for Hatake. I wanted you all to myself. But I was a little too obvious, if not to you. Your little Hatake knew; I'm surprised he never said anything. But your family said I was no longer allowed near you. I wasn't allowed to love you. It wasn't fair. Not only was I not allowed to have you, but they had disowned you anyway. They were trying to have authority over something they had thrown away. They hurt you and they hurt me, so they had to pay. I ran into Orochimaru a little while after you were sent away to recover from that botched mission that left you blind. He said he could give me my revenge if he got to keep some of your clan members to dissect for their dojutsu. After all, your family's eyes were very powerful. I agreed. I gave him the secrets of your compound and your clan's weaknesses and indeed got my revenge." An insane smile broke across his face. "If it weren't for me, your clan would still be alive." Tears were streaming down my face. The man who had taught me and who I trusted had betrayed me so horribly. And he said it was all because of me. It was _my_ fault my clan was gone. "But now," Touda said, brushing his hand across my tear stained cheek, "we can be together." I closed my eyes. He had made physical contact with me. Big mistake. I ripped the chakra from his body, not caring if I damaged him in any way. Using the stolen chakra, I used the escape jutsu to get out of the shackles then release the seal placed upon me. Kabuto tried to attack, but anger made me quicker. I grabbed a fistful of his chakra and ripped it out of him until he passed out from the pain. Then I ran for it. Not knowing where I was going, I just ran and ran, hoping to find the exit before someone found me. _There! I smell fresh air!_ I followed my nose to the door and ran outside. I ran and ran and ran through the unfamiliar land until I passed out from exhaustion, praying that I wouldn't be re-captured by Orochimaru.

Well, I wasn't captured by Orochimaru. But this wasn't much better. Actually, I thought it was worse. By it, I mean being captured by Itachi- the one guy I'm not allowed to piss off. I guess he didn't care for what I said when he infiltrated the Leaf Village. I thought we were even when he threw me, but he didn't seem to think so. When I passed out, it just so happened that Itachi and Kisame were camped out not even half a mile from where I was for whatever reason. Kisame thought I might be useful- they could break me into spilling new Leaf Village secrets. So now I was a prisoner, at least until their boss said what to do. Though he didn't say anything, Itachi seemed to find it interesting that I could now see.

"My life sucks," I muttered to myself, saying that at least it couldn't get any worse. Then, of course, it started raining. The men blamed me for that one. Finally, after two days of travelling, most of which I spent thinking about what happened at Orochimaru's, we arrived at the Akatsuki headquarters.

/

Itachi stood over me as I sat, slumped on the floor in one of the many rooms of their base. _Betrayed. I was betrayed by the man that trained me, took care of me, cared for me..._

"Look at me," Itachi commanded. I obeyed, tired and out of it as I was.

"Leader thinks you might have some juicy details for us to use," the blue-faced Kisame told me, though I only half listened. "Especially about the Jinchuriki. Uchiha's Sharingan can do some pretty interesting things. Like allowing him to access your fears and darkest memories and make you live through them." I didn't really care what was going on. Self-centered as it was, only betrayal was going through my mind.

Itachi's sharingan was activated and I couldn't help but look him full in the eyes.

The images around me faltered. The world reformed around me. At first, I saw Touda in front of Orochimaru, telling him all about me and my clan. Even if I closed my eyes, I could see it. Then it phased to the both of them slaughtering my family. As much as I tried, I couldn't move to help protect them either. After watching that for what felt like forever, it faded out to another scene. This one didn't have Orochimaru in it. This one featured Kakashi and Touda. My sensei's face was full of lust and a thirteen year old Kakashi watching him a slight distance off. A moment later, Kakashi only shrugged and left. More images, memories, of every time my sensei touched me, held me, looked at me with ill intent, Kakashi only watched, uncaring. Then I was watching the fight where I got blinded but in a 3 rd person point of view. This time, I felt like it really was Kakashi's fault that I became blind. He was the leading jonin, so he should have been responsible enough to make sure the three of us didn't get in over our heads. But he let us down and because of it, Naru was dead and I was blind. Then everyone I knew and cared about- Kakashi, Naruto, Iruka, Sakura, everyone- dying slowly, cut to shreds and I couldn't save them. They screamed for me to help, their voices echoing in my mind. The scene changed to modern day Kakashi. He was in his bed, banging another woman, completely betraying me. This, for some reason, was by far the most disturbing. It tore my heart to shreds, seeing Kakashi making love so passionately with another woman. It was so real, I could swear that I was watching him, not being subjected to the sharingan. It was too real. Kakashi really didn't love me. That much was obvious. And this tirade of images went on loop, playing in my mind over and over and over again. It felt like days of nothing but horror.

/

The world twisted around me and I was back in the Akatsuki base, but the images were burned in my mind. They would never be truly gone, not a single one. The only thing I could do was weep on the floor, holding my head.

"What is it, Itachi?" Kisame asked. I glanced up, hoping he somehow hurt himself by showing such ugly truths. His dark eyes were wide and a hand was clapped over his mouth.

"What the hell kind of fear is that?" Itachi murmured. It was obvious that he was a little uncomfortable by what he had seen. Which part, I didn't know or care. My mind fell back to my misery.

"Erm, what was it?" Kisame asked his partner. Itachi didn't respond.

Without a words, I was put in another prison cell until I was ready to spill. But I didn't really care. I was too depressed. I didn't even try to keep track of how long I had been prisoner. I didn't even know how much time passed in the real world while I was in that genjutsu. Itachi would come in every now and then to give me new dose of what I had experienced before. What was strange was that his eyes seemed sad. He couldn't make me spill secrets, though. I still loved my Village, just not the people in it.

/

The door opened but I didn't even glance at who it was. Then a face with a pretty blue eye and blond hair appeared in front of mine.

"Hi. They never told me your name, un."

"Shizuru," I replied in a monotone voice. His nose crinkled in disgust.

"Don't talk like that, all monotone and all. Talking like that with those empty eyes of yours reminds me of Uchiha. But it's a pretty name, un" he said. "So do you want to know what I'm doing here?" I shrugged, and looked at the floor. "Well I'll tell you anyway, yeah. I'm getting you out of here." I looked at him this time.

"Why?" I questioned, suspicious.

"You don't belong here. And you won't spill secrets, yeah. So Leader-sama wants you gone. He means dead, but I don't feel like killing you, so we'll just go, un." I nodded, slowly, not sure of him.

"Why don't you want to kill me?"

"I'm an artist, heh. I like beauty. Usually the fleeting beauty of explosions, but some women are pretty enough. I don't want to destroy your beauty. This place has taken a toll on it already, and I don't like that, un." I shrugged; I didn't really understand, but whatever.

"Very well," I murmured.

"Then let's leave with a bang!" he said happily. He grabbed my hand and dragged me out of the base. "Blindfold time, un," he told me and tied a blindfold around my eyes. Just for the sake of knowing where I was, I tried to see and feel with my chakra, but the blindfold or the base itself had a jutsu on it so it so everything was coated in the same amount of chakra- I was just as blind here too. Oh well. Deidara swept me up in his arms and sprinted for about 10 minutes then set me down and took off my blindfold. "Konoha is that way," he said pointing.

"Thank you," I told him.

"Smile for me," he said cutely. It took a moment, but I somehow managed to smile a little. "Very pretty, un. Almost art." I held out my hand for him to shake. When he did, I retracted my hand quickly to look at it. Something had LICKED me. He…he...

"Y- you have a mouth on your hand?!" He shrugged, obviously used to this reaction.

"You have huge breasts and I don't comment on those," he replied with a smile. Even in my mood, I couldn't help but treat him to a flat expression.

"Touche. Not the same, but interesting hands anyway. Interesting is good."

"Take care," he told me with another smile. I smiled back, but I didn't mean it. I walked the way he had indicated until dark then kipped in a tree. It was warm so I didn't have to make a fire.

Kakashi's POV- the day before

"WHAT?! AND YOU DIDN'T SEND OUT A TEAM TO SEARCH FOR HER?!" he shouted at Tsunade. He had just been told Shizuru had vanished.

"We had no reason to suspect foul play. I figured she just went on a mission. It wasn't until a few hours ago that I learned that she wasn't."

"It's been two weeks! I know her. She wouldn't leave for that long without telling anyone. Something is wrong. I request permission to go after her," Kakashi said, an edge to his voice indicating that it wasn't really a request. He _had_ to find her. Tsunade sighed.

"All right. But just you. We can't afford too many ninja gone. I couldn't even allow Shikamaru Nara a real team to rescue Sasuke. He got four genin, including your Naruto. Don't be too long." Kakashi bowed and left, glad he hadn't unpacked yet. He ran home, grabbed his bag and restocked on food. As an afterthought, he packed a bigger med-kit, just in case something bad had happened to his Shizuru. He just couldn't let anything bad happen to her. The fact that he wasn't there to protect her already made him feel guilty. Kakashi felt he should have been there. Ready, he ran out of the Konoha gates and took to the trees, somehow knowing he was going in the right direction. Like he could feel her.

"I'm coming, Shizuru. I'm coming for you."

Shizuru's POV

Deciding to not make a shelter or a fire proved to be a stupid idea. It started to rain. I looked up at the rain coming through the leaves of the tree.

"Aw well, too late now," I muttered and drew myself in tighter. I dozed off, trying to decide if I really wanted to go back to Konoha. I still felt completely betrayed. Completely wronged. Did I really want to go back to a place that would just bring back painful memories? I could always go back to the Land of Waves. They would welcome me back. Or at least I hoped they would. A noise to the left of me broke my thoughts. The most I could will myself to do was put a kunai in my hand and look in that direction. A ninja came through the trees and near lost his balance when he saw me.

"Zury?" he panted. I clenched my kunai tighter.

"Ka…kashi?" I asked. He kneeled in front of me.

"That's right. Come here, I'll take you back home," he told me with outstretched arms. I wasn't sure. Part of my heart leapt at the chance to be back in Kakashi's safe arms again, but I couldn't forget what I saw. My heart was still broken. Apparently, he thought that I couldn't walk or something so he picked me up bridal style and started running with me.

Kakashi's POV

_She's close. I can feel it_, he thought as he ran through the trees, careful to not slip on the slippery branches. Shizuru was closer than Kakashi thought- he near ran into her. He stopped and stared at her. She sat in the crook of a tree branch and the trunk staring vacantly into the space in front of her. She looked half-dead.

"Zury?" the ninja panted.

"Ka…kashi?" she asked in a monotone voice. This wasn't his Zury. Something had happened to her. The guilt inside Kakashi grew.

"That's right. Come here, I'll take you back home." The tall man held out his arms for her to come into. She stayed where she was. _Something really had happened. And it's my fault that I wasn't there to protect her_. He picked her up bridal style and started running for the village.

/

The next day Kakashi went to the KIA stone and found Shizuru there, so he kept his distance and watched her from afar. She was so cold and lifeless now. It was worse than when she lost her sight. It was like everything had been taken away from her.

"Who broke your spirit, Zury?" he whispered.


	14. Chapter 14

For the rest of September and most of October, I kept to myself, not talking to anyone unless necessary. I requested mission after mission to stay away from my friends and most of all, Kakashi. He would try to visit me every time I was home, but I pretended I wasn't. The mental image of him with that other woman and every time he left me to be eye-humped by my teacher were still burned into my skull. He didn't love me. It was all a ruse. He was just having fun because he was bored.

And sure enough, I was right.

It was toward the end of October when Kakashi stopped coming to try to see me at all. He had gotten bored. He had tired of me and moved on. I looked up at the door of my apartment and shrugged, ignoring the pain inside. I wanted to be alone. I didn't need anyone. I didn't want to let anyone get close to me again. I didn't want to trust anyone again.

That way, I couldn't get hurt.

"Zury? It's Iruka. Please let me in," he said as he knocked on my door later that evening. I didn't answer. I heard him sigh then start to pick the lock on my door. "I hate to do this, but you leave me no choice." The door opened and he walked in, obviously annoyed at me. "Why won't you talk to us anyone? You don't see us anymore, you don't hang out with anyone, you just hole up in here all alone. Why?" I only blinked at him then shrugged.

"I don't want to be friends anymore." It looked like I had slapped him.

"Wha- what do you mean? How can you break your ties to the rest of the world just like that? You can't shut us out without a reason," he demanded.

"It is my life and I can choose who I do and do not wish to befriend. So leave me alone," I spat coldly. Iruka just gazed at me sadly with his big brown eyes then turned around to leave.

"Very well. But I think you should at least tell Kakashi what's changed you so much. He's been worried sick and only stopped trying to check up on you because Lady Tsunade ordered him to," he told me over his shoulder then turned around. "No. You know what? I want to know what happened to you. You owe me from that merging jutsu of yours. I trusted you with my body now I want you to trust me with your mind." He paused, waiting for a response. My mind was racing, trying to figure out some way to get out of it, to make him leave. I couldn't think of one. "Very well," he said and fashioned his hands into a jutsu I barely recognized. It was a mind reading jutsu. Those were used almost exclusively to interrogation ninjas and medical ninjas dealing with trauma victims and was very gentle. Suddenly, I felt a strange, fuzzy warmth in my head. It was kinda dizzying and made me feel spacey at the same time. Then the next thing I felt was Iruka's arms around me in a tight hug. "I'm sorry, Zury. I'm so sorry." I nodded slowly in his hold, knowing he felt bad because I felt bad. He straightened up and took hold of my upper arms, looking me dead in the eyes.

"I can't change what happened to family, and I don't know what to say about most of the rest, but I can assure you that Kakashi never slept around. You're everything to him. You should know that." I lowered my eyes.

"I know what I saw." Iruka shook his head.

"Look. Tiger-Dog-Dragon-Snake-Pig. Those hand signs in that order. You felt how much chakra I used. Remember the jutsu now? Kakashi will let you use it on him if you must. That is, if you're ninja enough to try." And with that, he left me to decide my next move.

A few hours later I found myself outside of Kakashi's apartment door.

"I can't believe I'm doing this. Shows how weak I really am," I muttered to myself and knocked on the door. Kakashi answered and regarded me warily, unsure of what to do now, seeing as I've avoided him for so long.

"Iruka came by and explained," he started slowly. I nodded. "So you're here so my memories can prove I haven't cheated on you, correct?" Again, nodded.

"And some other things."

"Very well," he said, muttering under his breath right after. I could have sworn he said, "Fucking Itachi" but I wasn't completely sure. He sat on the floor. "Ok. Go for it." I sat next to him but didn't make the hand signs.

"You're going to let me? Just like that?" He nodded.

"It hurts that it's come to this but I understand that you need it." I did need it. I needed to know for sure that at least one person special to me hadn't betrayed me. I already forgave him for my blindness. That was my decision and I got past that. But the rest… And he was willing to let me do it, let me see in his mind, invade his private thoughts so that he could prove to me that he was true to me.

"Tiger..." _He isn't afraid to let me see._ "Dog..." _He trusts me not to hurt him. I know the damage that can be done if done improperly or too harshly. He could die. He trusts me with his life. His mind._ "Dragon…" _His soul._

I dropped my hands into my lap, defeated.

"It wasn't real, was it?" I asked quietly, unable to look him in the face. His gentle hand tilted my chin up so he could see my eyes.

"It wasn't real. Itachi put that image in your head because you were afraid. I would never, ever do anything to hurt you like that. Do you understand?" I stared deep into his eyes and smiled faintly. I didn't need a jutsu to tell that he was telling the truth. He trusted me with everything. _...And I trust him_._ But…_

"Kakashi…Touda-sensei is alive," I whispered. He inhaled sharply and looked away. "He told me what happened," I went on. Kakashi nodded slightly and looked back at me.

"I'm sorry. I wanted to protect you…for just a while longer…" I nodded, understanding what he meant.

"It's not that," I told him. He looked at me and I could see the confusion in his eye. "He said he loved me. He killed my family because he _loved_ me. I don't understand that. And…I don't understand…Touda said he wanted me and it was obvious, that you knew," I looked up at him, imploring eyes begging him to tell me I was wrong, "and didn't do anything." Kakashi looked away again and he didn't offer an explanation. "Kakashi?" He sighed.

"I knew. Rather, I guessed. I saw so many times when he stole a touch or a kiss. By the time I realized that you didn't understand what he was doing, your family had talked to him. It wasn't my business. I…" his voice lowered to a whisper, "I didn't care." I bit my lip to keep the tears at bay. Even knowing how cold Kakashi was back then, it still really hurt to hear him say flat out that he didn't care about me.

"But that was then," Kakashi went on, facing me, eye imploring me to understand. "The fact is, I care now. Very much." Slowly, I nodded.

"I have something for you. Sort of." Kakashi walked over to his freezer and picked up a piece of mistletoe. He sat down next to me and held it over my head. "'Time cures all wounds. But it's up to those close to us to help us along.' Remember that?" I nodded. Of course I remembered. And it made me want to burst into tears all over again.

Flashback "Zury, do you know what this is?" Touda-sensei asked me.

"A plant?" I responded, not having a clue.

"It's called mistletoe. It's from the Land of Snow." I looked at the small plant with its white berries on it.

"What's it for?" I asked, thinking this was a small herb lesson. Touda held it over my head then leaned in and kissed my cheek, lips lingering. Surprised, I blushed a little and looked at him curiously. He seemed hesitant, but pointed to Kakashi Hatake, who had just joined our team due to losing his last two teammates.

"Time cures all wounds. But it's up to those close to us to help us along. We only have to make sure they know how much they mean to us." He handed me the mistletoe and nodded in Kakashi's direction. I ran up to him, placed the mistletoe over him and gave him a small kiss on his cheek. I told him the same thing that Touda-sensei told me then gave Kakashi a big hug. It was hard to lose someone close to you, much less two someones. End Flashback

Kakashi pulled down his mask and leaned in slowly for a kiss, unsure. Hesitantly, I met him halfway, determined not to let my past ruin this any more than it already had. He pulled me in close, dropping the small plant and savoring the first kiss he's had from me in over a month. I savored it too, just then realizing how much I missed loving him.

His hands cradled my face, deepening the kiss. I ran my fingers through his hair, pulling off his headband then ran my hands down his back. I wanted to feel every inch of him, assure myself that he was really there and that this was really happening. If it wasn't, then I sure as hell was going to feel as much as I could before I woke up. Kakashi seemed to be thinking along the same lines as me and increased the ferocity of the kiss. He let go of my face and ran his hands down the sides of my body, coming to a rest on my waist. His fingers moved to my sash undid it without moving his lips from mine. I responded by unzipping his tactical vest. Kakashi took that as a go-ahead and moved his hands all over my body, caressing some parts and groping others. I smiled in the kiss and returned the favor, feeling the muscles under his shirt. My fingers found the bottom of his shirt and slipped under it. He groaned in my mouth when my fingers trailed across his stomach, making me shiver. I felt the blood pounding though my veins as I got even more tuned on. Kakashi continued undoing my uniform, pausing in kissing me only to pull my oversuit off. I savored the feeling of his chest under my fingers before relieving him of his shirt. I had seen him without a shirt before, but this was so different. Actually seeing his bare chest and running my fingers down it was so much better. He didn't let me keep my hands there long, instead pulling my shirt off and capturing me in another heated kiss. My hands found their way back to his chest, then abs, then his lap. _Oh god._

"Careful, Zury," he whispered huskily. "Keep that up and I won't be able to stop." I smiled and rand my fingers along the top of his pants, fingers skimming the sensitive skin.

"And if I don't want to stop?" I whispered back. He stood and picked me up so my legs wrapped around his waist. Kakashi carried me to his bedroom, kissing my lips and neck along the way.

I awoke the next morning feeling the best I had in a long, long time. Kakashi pulled me close to his bare chest.

"How did you sleep, lover?" I smiled and blushed slightly.

"As little as we slept, it was strangely restful," I responded. He chuckled.

"I agree. But we're going to have to get up sometime." I groaned.

"As much as I'd love to stay and cuddle, we need to see what missions we have." Sighing, I got out of bed and put my clothes back on. He did the same and I watched as his naked body moved in the morning light. My eyes fell on his left shoulder. His ANBU tattoo was there, a mark of his expertise and past rank. He caught me staring.

"You knew, right?" I shook my head. "Huh. Guess it slipped my mind," he muttered.

"It's not a big deal," I insisted. "I just didn't think you were one for tattoos." Kakashi shrugged and pulled a shirt on.

"I don't really care. But this one was mandatory. You never got a tat, did you?" he asked, seeming only curious. I frowned slightly in thought then smiled.

"I had my face painted at an Okitsumi party once. Does that count?" He blinked at me, dumbfounded.

"No," he finally said once his voice came back to him. I shrugged then kissed his cheek.

"I'll make breakfast," I told him happily. I couldn't help but be happy. I couldn't stop smiling either.

Months went by in a blur. I knew I was happy for sure because time crawls by when you're sad. It slowed down enough in December for me to remember saying goodbye to Naruto. He left to train with Master Jiraiya. That meant that two members of Kakashi's squad were gone. Sasuke with Orochimaru, and Naruto with Jiraiya. But once again, things sped by in a happy blur. Sure, I missed Kakashi when he left for a mission, but then so did he when I left for one. However, when the two of us were at home at the same time, we would spend that time together, happy to simply be with the other. At night, we would share a bed. It came to be that it was almost natural to sleep with one another, even if nothing sexual happened every time. Just sleeping with one another was intimate enough.

It was early March when I found out about the Sakura-viewing party. I wanted to go with Kakashi more than anything else, but I was afraid to ask. The last time I did, it didn't turn out so pretty. Last time, he shot me down really hard. _But we're together now. _I took a deep breath and went in for the plunge. I walked up to Kakashi as he walked down the street and read his book.

"Hey, Kishi-kun. Um, I was wondering...about that upcoming cherry blossom viewing party...would you like to go? You know...together?" He glanced at me sideways.

"Haven't we had this conversation before?" _Of course he'd say no. He's still a serious ninja. Why would he want to go?_ "Oh wait. We didn't." He lowered his book and rubbed the back of his neck with his other hand. "I forgot I hadn't asked you yet. Sorry. But it sounds like fun, going as a couple." I grinned ear to ear.

"Alright."

"Great. I'll come by your place to get you at six. Sound good?" I nodded.

"Good."

Thursday

I went into the Kimono store to fine a decent yutaka for the next evening's events.

"Hello, there. I'll be with you in a moment," the store lady said and went back to attending a young girl with pink hair.

"Sakura? Is that you?" She turned and smiled.

"You ladies know each other? Then it wouldn't be a problem to help you both at the same time, would it?" The both of us shook our heads.

"Looking for something for the yozakura?" I asked. (yozakura is a cherry blossom viewing party that is held at night)

"Yes," Sakura replied.

"Same for you?" I nodded.

"Who are you going with?" I asked her with an evil smile.

"Rock Lee. He asked me when the party was announced."

"How nice," I told her with a smile, this one more sympathetic and less evil. _She's only going with Lee for two reasons: Sasuke isn't here to go with and she's too soft-hearted to turn Lee down. Poor girl._

"Rock Lee? Ah yes, I remember the yutaka I sold him. Would you like one with colors to match?" the sales lady asked.

"Um...depends I suppose," Sakura told her kindly. The old lady went over to a rack and found a yutaka in the right style for Sakura.

"He bought a black and pine green bamboo design. This is the same color pattern, only with white and pink added to it and a pink obi the same shade as your lovely hair." It was quite pretty. The small colored flowers on the black and green fitted her quite nicely. Sakura went to try it on. "And for you my dear?" I blushed heavily.

"I'm going with Kakashi Hatake," I told her. For some reason, despite the time we had been together, someone else talking about it made me embarrassed.

"He hasn't bought his yet. So I can't match you two yet. But this one here should look nice." She pulled out a black yutaka with sleeves shorter than Sakura's, but that was because I was older than 20, and dark blue, green, gold, and silver petals patterned like they were blowing in the wind across the material. The obi was gold colored too. "Go on, try it on, love," she instructed. Nodding, I went into the dressing room. A few minutes later, you came out with it draped over my arm. Satisfied, we paid and went on our ways.

The next evening at five, I started to get ready. I was lucky it was a spring, outdoors event so that I only had to wear a yutaka instead of a full kimono (not that I could really afford one anyway). Those things are so many layers and a professional has to help just to get one on. Beautiful but crazy. I had just finished putting my hair in chopsticks when a knock came at the door. Glancing at the clock, I shrugged. Kakashi was only five minutes late. For Kakashi, that was very impressive. I could never actually get mad when he was late because I knew why he was. I answered the door with a smile.

"Hey Kishi-kun."

"Don't call me that," he replied with a sigh as he leaned lazily in my doorway. I bit my lip. He was soooo cute all dressed up. His obi was a patterned black against a simple dark blue and green yutaka. Of course his mask and headband were still being worn. "So you ready?" he asked. Nodding, I walked past him into the hallway, locking the door on the way out.

Things were just kicking off in the large grove where the cherry trees were; it was only sundown after all. There were plenty of booths set up for people to play games. Ninjas were, of course, not allowed to play the targeting games. However, there were many others: fishing for the spotted codfish, guessing jars, tossing rings, balls and hoops, face painting, stuff like that.

"So what first?" Kakashi asked, still reading his book as he walked. The booths with food and snacks were open but neither of us were hungry yet.

"Cod fishing?" I asked with a sweet smile.

"Alright then."

We played a few games and had a few snacks but wound up sitting under one of the many cherry trees, enjoying each other's company. It was a good night, too good for it to last. A slight chill ran across my spine and the hairs on the back of my head stood up.

"I feel it too," Kakashi murmured and I felt him tense slightly next to me. I reached casually for the tessen hidden in my sash but a kunai flew from the shadows and pinned my new kimono sleeve to the tree behind me. Kakashi leapt forward, only to be hit in the chest by kunai. I gasped, but it was premature. In a puff of a smoke, he was gone and a log was there with the kunai in it. Pulling the kunai pinning me to the tree from its hold, I rose to my feet and got in a defensive stance.

"Oh, my little Zury. My sweet little Zury," a cold, mocking voice said from all around. I spun, trying to find the source. Kakashi reappeared next to me, standing back to back, ready to defend my back as I was immediately ready to defend his. A swirling of leaves danced across the ground to my left and a man appeared. I tensed visibly. Cold blue eyes stared at me from underneath tapered dark brown hair. A twisted and crazed smile lit up the man's lips.

"Touda," I spat at him. Kakashi openly stared at the man he once called sensei long ago. The man stood there in his white and purple outfit, katana drawn with another strapped to his back.

"I've made a decision my dear," he told me. "I will give you a choice. You will either come with me and we can finally be together, or I can kill you where you stand. It's your choice." His voice was low and menacing. Kakashi snarled.

"We pick the third option. You don't touch her and I'll kill you quickly." Touda looked Kakashi over for a moment then his manic smile grew even larger.

"Hatake. What's wrong? You never cared before," he taunted. "It's my lucky day. I will kill you then take her with me, then. I never cared much for you anyway." I launched forward, pulling out one of my two fans, more than ready to fight. He blocked me easily with his katana. Kakashi raised his headband so his Sharingan was exposed and dove in the fray as well. Touda had gotten stronger than I believed possible. It was insane. He blocked most of my and Kakashi's attacks and managed to make a few of his own. He took another swing at Kakashi but the copy ninja's footing was incorrect for the maneuver to move completely out of the way. I slammed into him, using my weight to push him out of the way and just barely missing the sword myself. Somehow, I was able to turn that brutish motion into a fluid one and move around to snatch the other katana from my ex-sensei's back. The two of us circled each other, katanas at the ready. Kakashi got up and made to get back next to me.

"Wait. This fight is mine," I told him.

"But-" he started to argue.

"No. He took everything from me. I want the satisfaction." Touda laughed openly.

"You silly girl. There is no way." He lunged at me, swinging his katana in a crescent fashion. I tried to dodge away from the attack but he feinted on the fourth swing and lunged. The action caught me off guard and his sword skimmed my side, drawing blood. He stepped back and shook his head. "Again, you disappoint me. You do everything half assed! Just because it comes naturally to you, you think you don't have to work for it. For someone with so much talent, there's no ambition. The only reason you moved higher in the ranks is because you got bored of what you're doing. It's a game to you. Then once you get bored or decide it's too hard, you quit! Just like swimming, just like learning the katana. And just like defensive maneuvers. That's why you'll lose." I smiled grimly.

"I've changed," I informed him and attacked, swinging the same blade again.

"You won't win- not this way. Ultimately, you must be true to your own nature." He struck again. And again. And again. "You don't want to go with me, do you?"

"No," I replied, a little confused. _He just now got that?!_

"Very well. If I can't have you, then you will die." His attacks increased in speed, ferocity, and precision. After a few more bold moves, he disarmed me and pushed me against a tree, sword to my throat and both hands disabled with a jutsu. "Don't come a step closer, Hatake, or our sweet little Zury will no longer have a flawless neck. This is your last chance, my girl. Please," he said, voice almost pleading. I blinked slowly, concentrating my chakra. I formed it into a solid hand around the fan still hidden in my obi. I eased it out, razor sharp ribs forward, and thrust.

"No." He backed away, hacking blood. He knew better to remove the object from the wound- it was the only thing clogging all the blood from pouring out of him. Kakashi walked over, hatred visible in his eyes.

"It seems your 'little one' has all grown up," he commented coldly before roughly pulling out the weapon from his stomach. "He deserves a slow death," he muttered as he put his arms around my shaking shoulders. "Come on. It's going to be ok."

"It's over," I said. "His life is gone. But I don't feel any better. We trusted him, called him friend and teacher...and he led my family to their destruction all for the love of me. Is love such a terrible thing?" I asked as he led me away from the dead man, feeling myself falling back into that cold void that Itachi had created in me.

"No. If he really loved you, he would have never done anything to hurt you. Or if he had, it would have been unintentional." I nodded, regaining my wits. I had never killed someone so close to me before... Kakashi made a motion to one of the ANBU at the festival- he had led me back to people.

The rest of March passed in a flash and every single day I grew closer and closer to Kakashi. But by growing closer, I noticed how figity he was getting. What could be wrong? When asked, he assured me it was nothing and not to worry. One day after asking, he suggests that the two of us go for a walk.

We ended up on top of the Hokage faces. It was nearing sunset, as it was when he brought me up here so long ago. This time, I could appreciate the colors this time. I leaned against the rail, appreciating the beauty. Hesitantly, Kakashi leaned next to me.

"Listen," he started lamely. "I've been thinking. We've been through a lot together and, well, I was thinking...we should stay together." I looked at him with a sideways glance.

"What are you trying to say?" He turned to face me straight on.

"That we should get married. So, what do you say? Will you be my wife?" I blinked at him, shocked. Composing myself, I looked back at village.

"You know, that sounds like a rather interesting idea."

"Yeah?" I nodded once, smiling ear to ear.

"Yeah." He leaned forward, pulling down his mask. Kakashi kissed me hard, happy as can be. I knew just how he felt.

Four months later, I was Mrs. Hatake. And I had never been happier.


	15. Chapter 15

Epilogue:

October came and with that, new orders.

"Yes, Lady Tsunade?" The Hokage smiled.

"Did you enjoy your honeymoon? Have fun?" I blushed heavily.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good. Well, fun time is over. Your new assignment is training."

"Sorry?" I asked.

"As any jonin, you will spend some time training genin. Assemble on October 14 to observe the genin tests so you can see what team you might like."

"Wait, wait. A team? I-I don't think-"

"Matter closed," she told me firmly. I shut my mouth and nodded, then left her office.

"About time. It's mandatory. Don't worry. You'll do fine," Kakashi reassured me. "Come on, I'll walk you there."

"Yeah..." I said, though still worried. I wasn't teacher material and I wasn't very fond of the idea of screwing up.

"Hey, Iruka," Kakashi greeted.

"Hi. So who gets the new team?" I raised my hand miserably. "That's great. Why the long face?" Iruka asked, concerned. "You're great with kids..." I shook my head.

"I don't want to mess up." He clapped my back.

"No worries. And if you need any help, you've got me and your new hubby here, right?" he teased. I nodded.

"Thanks, guys," I said half-heartedly.

I watched the graduating class along with the other senseis to be. I saw a few I liked but it didn't really matter. They were all genin ready to mold and I wasn't exactly the best sculptor. However, I picked the numbers of the genin I would prefer. I got one of them. Sighing, I went to go meet them.

I went into the classroom, and pointed at the ones that were now my students. I used my first two fingers and in two sharp bends, beckoned them to follow. They followed me quietly as I led them out to the training area.

"So…why don't we start with you guys telling me about yourselves. Give me an idea of what I'm working with. Let's start with you on the right," I told the three boys. The one on the right didn't seem to hear. "Hey. Dreamer. Name," I instructed flatly.

"Oh me? Yes, I suppose I am on the right, aren't I? I'm Asato Yokawa," the blue haired boy said with a silly grin. "I like to take things easy and figure out puzzles. I'm ok at cracking clan jutsus too. Um, my strength is ninjutsu. No special goals for me, just live." I smiled. _Simple kid. He seems rather happy-go-lucky too. I hope that works._

"Very good," I encouraged, "Next."

"Takeda Murai, sensei. I like to learn and become stronger. I don't like tomfoolery and timewasters. I plan to be the best ninja there is and succeed Hokage Tsunade. My specialty is taijutsu." I nodded. _So stiff. I hope we don't clash too much._

"Alright. And you," I told the last kid.

"Hey, beautiful. Name's Junno Ruun. I don't like spicy food and strict rules. But I do like attention and Takeda's ass," he said with a wink in his teammate's direction. From the smug look on Junno's face and annoyed look on Takeda's, I could tell straight off that he was just saying that to annoy Takeda. "I like to show off too. No real plans for the future, just be a ninja. My hobby is flirting and my area of specialty is genjutsu." I nodded.

"Any kekkei genkai, you three?" They shook their heads. "That's fine then." _This is going to be a fun team. They're all so different and each have a different area of expertise, though I'll have to verify that bit on my own. If they work together, this will be a good team._

"I SAID I DON'T SWING THAT WAY! SO LET GO OF MY HAND!" Takeda yelled at Junno. _IF they can work together._

"So sensei, what about you?" Asato asked. I opened my mouth but Takeda actually spoke for me.

"Her name is Shizuru Hatake, originally Imamura. She has been married to the Copy Ninja for about four months now. Her specialties revolve around fire, water, and chakra control and her kekkei genkai is the Rykugan, which allows her to see and feel chakra to an extreme extent. Sensei was once blind and still got promoted to jonin." I blinked a few times to let this sink in. He knew quite a bit.

"Someone's done his homework," I commented. He smiled ever so slightly, one of pride without smirking.

"You are one of the top three ninja in this village I admire the most."

"Really? And who are the others?" I inquired.

"Kakashi and Rock Lee. Lee's taijutsu can be considered a thing of beauty. His chakra coils aren't tight enough to do any effective justsus but he makes up for it with his superior taijutsu. His will is something to be admired. Kakashi's style is so eclectic and so his own at the same time. He has copied over 1000 jutsus and his talent seems to only increase." I nodded.

"Well said. Alright ducklings, I'll see you tomorrow at 5am for your assessment in training field 2. But first, would you like the truth or do you want to stay ignorant?" The boys looked at each other then back at you.

"Truth, please," Asato said with a sweet smile.

"This assessment will determine if you have to go back to the academy. Your futures ride on this test, understand? they nodded Very well. Good day," I said then walked away.

That night, I lay next to Kakashi in bed.

"So how did the introductions go?" he asked.

"Not too bad. I hope they're able to work together though."

"Why say that?" he asked curiously.

"Eh. One is rather spacey, one is kinda ambitious, and the last likes to flirt. Kakashi raised an eyebrow Sad part is, he flirted more with one of the other boys than he did with me." My husband laughed.

"Ah well. He just can't appreciate a beautiful woman when he sees one. And the test tomorrow- try the bell test. Best thing for teamwork."

"I was going to," I shrugged and pulled the covers up around myself.

"Well, I hope your first team works out for you." I nodded.

"Me too."

I got up at 4:30 to wait out at the training field a little before the kids got there. The boys arrived on time and groggy. I used a loose water dragon missile to wake them up.

"Ok, boys. I have two bells attached to my waist here. The ones who are able to get the bells will pass. If you fail, then you go back to the Academy." Asato tilted his head to the side.

"There are two bells and three of us. That means one of us will automatically go back to the Academy." I smiled.

"You have two hours. Begin," I told them and vanished into the trees to see what would happen next.

No One's POV

The three genin jumped into the trees, following Asato's signal.

"What is it?" Takeda asked sharply, "We need to get ahold of the bells." Asato nodded dreamily.

"Yes. Our sensei has set us against one another. There are two bells and three of us. She is also a jonin. There is no way for us to get them on our own. We should work together." Junno looked at his blue headed friend oddly.

"But...how do we split two bells three ways?" Asato's black eyes half closed.

"We won't. We will work together and I'll go back to the academy. Takeda is the only one with ambition anyway and my only goal in life is to live. It's not that big of a deal. I'll be on a team next year." The other two were hesitant and argued a little, but finally accepted. "Alright. This is what we'll do..."

Asato sensed their sensei's chakra and pointed her out. Junno nodded and sent a genjutsu that way, forcing Shizuru to believe she was being swallowed by quicksand. That left Takeda free to speed in and take the two bells. As soon as he had them in hand, Junno released the genjutsu, frowning.

"She knew it was there and she did nothing to prevent it," he muttered. The three boys lined up in front of her. Takeda handed one of the bells to Junno. Shizuru looked the three over.

"Very well done. So you chose to share with Junno, did you?" she asked the blond. He shook his head.

"Asato chose to go back for another year to ensure our success via teamwork. Granted, we weren't without our objections." The sensei smiled broadly at them.

"Well if that's the case, then congratulations Team 4, you all pass."

Shizuru's POV- Six months and quite a few missions later

I watched my students practice in the training yard, shouting out corrections whenever I felt the need, and feeling rather content. I had a loving husband and three amusing students that kept me on my toes.

"Things are going well," Lady Tsunade said from behind me. I turned to face her and bowed.

"Thank you ma'am. Is something wrong? Only a matter of great importance would bring you from your office." She frowned.

"Actually this is a bit of a break for me. Then I saw you and thought I might as well."

"Ma'am?" I asked, confused.

"Your progress has been splendid and your genin are doing very well. ANBU has requested that you join their ranks. If you accept, then your team will be given to another jonin, not to worry," she responded quickly to my open mouth. I nodded and thought for a moment, gazing at my team. I smiled softly then turned back to Lady Tsunade.

"With all respect , I decline. I have my team and I won't give up on them. Maybe it's because I haven't gotten bored yet...I don't know...They're my team and I'll do what I can to protect them."

"Augh! You idiot! How many times to I have to tell you that I don't swing that way?!" came Takeda's voice from behind me. My smile got a little bigger.

"It's hard, but don't worry. I'll tough it out." Tsunade smiled and nodded in approval.

"Very well. I'll let ANBU know. Carry on."

Sorry it took me so long to get this last bit uploaded. Thanks for sticking with me for all this. Hope you enjoyed it!


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